Monday, July 9, 2018

A Girls Night Out, and We Pulled an ALL Nighter!

  


    Hitting highway 19 north in East Texas, in the middle of the day on a hot Friday in July.  I drop Callie and Cassie off at their Aunt Tenny's house to have some fun swimming with cousins for the weekend, while I continue on north to Oklahoma.  I was anxious to get to my friend Carlee's house in Okemah.  We were ready to have our much needed girls weekend. 
Stacy, Christy & Carlee

     Carlee had set up our fun weekend with Fired Up Outdoors Bowfishing.  We met up with our other friends Stacy and Melissa in Mclntosh County Oklahoma at Lake Eufaula.  Chris with Fired Up Outdoors was waiting for us at 9pm for us to board his boat and take us out on the lake to go bow fishing!
Stacy, Carlee, Christy, & Melissa
     The weather was perfect, not too hot and not even a cloud in the sky.  I kept just looking straight up at all the stars in the big Oklahoma sky, it was just beautiful.  There were a lot of campers and party goers setting off beautiful fireworks well past midnight.  It felt like a little firework show just for us.  I had forgotten the 4th of July was on a Wednesday this year and it seems like people have been out here camping for the whole week.  The water was really stir'ed  up and murky from the past weeks activities.  The fireworks were pretty loud too.  We didn't see much the first couple hours, but after midnight the action started to pick up.
My very first fish with a bow!
     The other ladies had all bow fished before, but this was my first time.  It was hard for me to tell my brain to not aim right at the fish, to aim a foot below it instead.  It was also a challenge to shoot at a moving target.  I was hoping that carp would turn broadside and stay still, but unfortunately they did not like to do that.   They were tricky little buggers that can swim pretty fast!  It was almost like Dove hunting with the Dove swooping and diving missing your bullets.  Those carp can move past your arrow pretty fast!
Carlee
     We all stood up on the plat form staring down into the water with a lot of intent.  All four of us were there for one reason, and that was to try our very best to shoot as many carp as we could.
Melissa
    The party goers and campers were starting to quiet down after midnight, and things were nice and still.  We were trolling around the banks and we were all concentrating and focused looking into the water.  All of a sudden a Pterodactyl flew out of the bushes screeching trying to grab me and haul me off!  Well maybe not grab me and haul me off, and maybe not a pterodactyl.  But pretty close and it scared us to death! lol!
Stacy
     Then another time during the night, same thing.  All quiet and we are all concentrating looking into the water and a loud bang on top of the water scared us to death!  I said, "Now what the heck was that!"  Chris our captain said it was a beaver slapping his tail on top of the water.  First time for that one for me!  Wow what a startle lol!
Melissa and Carlee team shooting!
     I saw several snakes swimming by.  I always just thought snakes swam on the top of the water, but this one I was watching dove straight down and deep into the water until I couldn't see it any longer.  That was pretty cool.
     Chris asked us if we wanted to listen to some music, we were like, "Yeah sounds great."  He got his phone out and the song, Money For Nothing by, Dire Straits started playing.  You know it starts off slow and he is singing softly, I want my MTV.  Then the music gets fast.  That is when the fish started coming out!  It was crazy!  The other crazy thing is that Chris' phone after the first 27 seconds would stop and said it was having technical difficulties.  Then we would replay it and the same thing would happen each time!  Get past the slow beginning to where the music got faster and the fish would come out!  We were like, just keep doing it, it works!  That was pretty funny and that song will never be the same.  It is my new favorite song and I am going to be playing that a lot!

Stacy, Christy, Carlee, & Melissa
     About 4:30am Chris pulls us back up to were we had parked our trucks.  He took our photo for us with our prize carp that we shot.  We had a lot of fun, I am so glad Carlee arranged this weekend and that we were able to pull an all nighter.   A lot of laughter, a lot of try, a lot of heart with this group of ladies.  I cant wait to do this again. 

     Melissa had to drive home and go to work, we drove back to Carlees house as the sun was starting to come out.  I got to lay down for a few hours but then had to get back on the road and head back south to Texas.  I don't mind driving, I like turning the radio up and listen to some good music.  It gives me time to just chill and think.  As I was driving home, I was thinking how lucky I am and how much I love my life.  I have some good friends,  good adventures, and a good husband and kids that encourage me to have my girls nights out's with my friends. 
Cousins
     On my way home I stopped at Aunt Tenny's house to pick up the girls.  Of course they were in the pool enjoying every second of their weekend too.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, waffles and popsicals, Aunt Tenny had them all taken care of all weekend with good eats and treats! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRDgihVDEko

Dire Straits - Money For Nothing









Friday, May 4, 2018

Prois Photo Contest for Mother Day




Prois is celebrating outdoor mothers this Mother’s Day with an awesome photo contest! Enter a mother who deserves some recognition and an awesome prize package from Prois! Tell us why she is amazing and enter a photo of her. Three winners will be selected Friday May 11th. One winner will be selected by votes and the other two will be selected by Prois. Enter a deserving mother today! You can also enter on facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag #ProisMother. 



Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Sundowner Ranch 2nd Annual Crawfish Festival

I got the invitation to go to the Second Annual Crawfish Boil, at the Sundowner Ranch that my friend Stephanie owns, heck yeah I'm there!
The girls and I went last year and had so much fun.  We were really looking forward to it especially Callie, since she had two good arms this year.  Last year she had a cast on her arm that she had broke.  It is hard to run around with all the kids, jumping on the trampoline and climbing trees with a cast covering your whole left arm.  But she did it!  She was just extremely excited to have no restrictions at all this time!  

Every time we drive to Stephanie's house we pass this sign and I just have always wanted a picture of it.  Actually I would love to have this sign and place it at the end of my driveway lol!😀

Driving through the cities you just have to get the camera out, you never know what you are going to see!

My fingers hurt from grabbing the steering wheel so tight, I hate driving in the cities.

Just exiting one of those huge bridges, scare me to death!




Texas Game Wardens Helicopter in Stephanie's pasture as we pull in.  We have some cool friends.




The kids playing with the pet Corn Snake.

Um no


Jean Pierre and the Zydeco Angels Band

This band was so good, so talented!

Could life get any better?

Jody, Christy, and Stephanie
More Crawfish please!! They had so much food and cooked all night and just kept dumping fresh crawfish out all night long.  We would just stand there and eat and dance to the band.  So much fun!

Onion Creek runs behind their property.

Onion Creek is so crystal clear and beautiful.


Cassie, Christy, and Callie

The next morning we traveled the crazy I-35 back north.  We stopped at the most amazing gas station in the world.  One of my favorite things besides there being hundreds of gas pumps, they have diesel at every pump too! There fuel is the cheapest also.

Not only is Buckee's the best gas station, they have the best shopping inside too!!  Everything you could think of!


We got our Beaver Nuggets and drinks and hit back north on the ole I-35 that has been under construction since before I was born.   Five more hours till we get back home, we have school and work in the morning!















Friday, April 13, 2018

Stallion, A children's story written by 12 year old Calista Turner.

Have you ever heard of the amazing stallion that was known for running on the beach on the Gulf of Mexico? Running faster than the wind in the sky. People have only seen glimpses of this amazing horse, for no one knows if it even exists! I am going to tell you a story unlike other fairy tales. This one will keep you thinking about this amazing horse, in the lone star state.
Calista Turner



CHAPTER 1


“MOM there is something on the beach!” Mia yelled, running to her mom and dads bed room. “What is it Mia? It is four in the morning, what are you doing up?” “There is something on the beach outside, I heard something running!” Mia whined. Just go back to bed, it is probably your imagination. Go before you wake your baby brother.” said mom “Why don’t she believe me?” Mia thought. As she stomped back to her bed room.” 



"Good morning mom.” Mia said, as she dragged her self-down the stairs a few hours latter. She was looking to see if her mom was cooking breakfast and her dad was reading the morning paper. “Go upstairs and get changed, we are going down to the beach. We are having a picnic with your grandma and grandfather.” Mia ran up the stairs as fast as she could, because she never got to see her grandparents that lived far up north. Mia ran down the stairs with her little brother at her feet and their dog Butter Ball at his. “Slow your roll you two, they will not be here for a few hours, so go play outside!" "But Mia don’t let jimmy near the water and take Butter Ball with you”. Mom said. “OK mom” jimmy jumped up and down as we ran out the door but Butter Ball seemed more happier then my brother. “Jimmy you heard what mom said, don’t go near the water”. But I did not need to worry, he was already playing in the white sand. I walked down the beach and took out my camera and started taking pictures for our school 6th grade photo competition. Then I saw a small crab running along the beach. When I saw big holes, like big prints, in the sand then I remembered, the sound last night. I fallowed the tracks to a small water fall in the cliff that fell off into the Gulf of Mexico. I started taking pictures of the tracks and I got closer and closer then “Mia, Jimmy, your Grandparents are here! Come on home!” mom yelled. Jimmy got up and ran as fast has his little legs could take him with Butter Ball at his feet. I hesitated, I wanted to see were the prints lead and if it could find out what it is and the high tide was coming. I had to go before long the prints would be gone and I will not be able to see them. All I had was a few pictures.
Chapter 2
To be continued...

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

About me


Dick Dunsmore

Just a little background about where I come from.   This is a picture of my father, Dick Dunsmore.  He rode Bareback horses back in the day.  You just don’t pick rodeo, it seems rodeo picks you.  It is not for everyone, it is a passion deep down in your soul.   I don’t recall it ever being easy, but maybe it is the rodeo family you become a part of, or the adventure, or the freedom of running down the road traveling the country trying to ride that next 8 seconds or make that perfect run.  Usually making just enough money to keep you going.   My sister and Sister-in-law runs barrels, both my brothers ride bulls.
Billy Turner
and Of course, I would end up marrying a Saddle Bronc Rider.    
Billy Turner
My barrel horses and the stock contractor’s broncs and bulls are very much respected athletes.



 It seems rodeo picks them as well and they seem passionate about their job too.  It is not for every horse or bull.
Christy Turner 
Billy and I would travel to 75-125 rodeos every year over the next 13 years until a big surprise God gave to us.  

Calista and Cassity Turner
Our twin baby girls were born in 2006.  
Cassity and Calista Turner
We slowed down on our rodeos but it didn’t stop us. 
At Mesquite Rodeo, the Turners being interviewed.

Everywhere we went so did the Turner Twins. 
Billy, Calista, & Cassity Turner
The girls have always traveled really good, but I did learn the double stroller only worked for indoor arenas. 
Billy, Cassity, and Calista Turner 
We had to upgrade to the big tires and four-wheel drive wagon. 
Cassity and Calista Turner
I could get that wagon through any fairgrounds. 
Cassity, Calista, and Billy Turner being interviewed at Mesquite Rodeo.
Of course, the Turner Twins had no choice but to be bitten with the love of horses and rodeo too. 
Calista and Cassity Turner
They are horse crazy and are excited for High School Rodeos to start up.  
Christy Turner
Rodeo has been our life and our passion but so is hunting and being in the outdoors.   Billy took me deer hunting in 1994 and a new passion ignited.  I keep learning and growing and my passion gets stronger and stronger. 
Cassity and Calista Turner
If Callie and Cassie are not on a back of a horse they are in the deer stand with me.  The girls have been hunting with me since they were babies in their car carriers.
Cassity Turner
We had bought a Gamo air rifle for the girls to learn how to look through a scope when they first started shooting at targets. 
Calista Turner
We have practiced gun safety since they were babies and they have both completed their Texas Parks and Wildlife Hunters Education Course.  
Billy and Cassity Turner
At five years old they got their first bow.  
Cassity and Calista Turner
We are still practicing and haven’t let them hunt with a bow yet.
Henderson County Wildlife Committee Spring Rendezvous  
I love being a part of the Henderson County Wildlife Committee.  We are part of a program through the Texas Agrilife Extension Office.  Our purpose is to educate and promote the importance of wildlife and habitat to adults and youth of our county.  My favorite event that we host is the Spring Rendezvous.  We hold this field trip in May to all of the fifth graders in Henderson County.  Over the 2 day event we will have nearly 500 fifth graders rotate through our 6 stations.  We have help with volunteers from the Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Game Wardens and the NRCS.  We also have a fishing station, a BB Gun station and a bow and arrow station.
Christy Turner helping assist the 5th graders 
I love to help with the bow and arrow station.  You think living out here in the rural Henderson County most these kids have experienced a lot of these outdoor activities but in reality, they haven’t.  75% of the time the 5th grader is scared to pull the bow back and they think they can’t do it.  But when they push past their fears and pull the bow back and that arrow flies and hits the target, you can almost see their confidence rising while they are smiling from ear to ear and giving you a high five. 
Wild Turkey near Cross Roads in Henderson County
I also love supporting the National Wildlife Turkey Federation.  Since 2014 with the help of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department they have been releasing several wild turkeys trying to re-introduce them back in our area.  They have trapped these wild turkeys in West Virgina and Iowa were the they are heavily populated and they are tagging them and adding gps devices before releasing them.  They seem to be doing very well and thriving.   
Cassity, Christy, and Calista Turner
Being a parent, mentor or role model to a child is the richest reward you could ever receive in this world.  Money cannot buy this reward for you but it does cost your time.  I know this can be hard this day and age when most families have both the mother and father working out of the home to make ends meet.  Or single parents raising children trying to play both the father and mother role, it is hard to give extra time.  My husband and I both have full time jobs and our children are involved in after school activities, music lessons and 4-H.  It feels like we run and run every day and don’t have time to just enjoy our time with each other before we have to run off to our next activity or homework.
Calista and Cassity Turner
The outdoors and hunting season is very important to our family.  This is our time as a family to enjoy hours of each other’s time and exploring what God has created in nature.  I believe these last twelve years of taking my girls hunting, fishing and camping has taught them to respect nature.
Calista's first deer, 5 years old.
I feel it has taught them several life skills and have helped them build strong characters.
Cassity and Calista Turner 5 years old with Calista's first deer she harvested. 

Callie and Cassie are not sitting inside playing the newest video games on the market, they are outside exploring Mother Nature and helping to put organic groceries on the table.
Calista Turner 
They understand even with waking up at 5am in 30-degree weather and hiking through the woods and sitting patiently for hours, you might not even see a deer.  But you will sit in silence just mother and daughter and watch the sun rise together.  You may watch a beautiful red bird peck at the ground right in front of you.  Have a swarm of butterflies fly all around you, or witness a squirrel get mad at you for sitting in their tree. 
Cassity's first deer, 5 years old.
It is these little gifts God has given us that we miss sometimes in our very busy lives.
Calista Turner
I believe it is important especially for women to teach our youth about the outdoors. 

Christy and Calista Turner
To let them realize it is not just a manley macho thing or bragging rights about trophy hunting.
Cassity and Calista Turner
 But on how important it is to preserve our habitats and wildlife management.


My kids know where our dinner comes from.  

Fresh organic meat at our family table that we worked hard for is much appreciated.  

 We process our own meat and Callie and Cassie always help.  When it is a deer one of the girls had shot I write their name on the package.  So when I cook that meal, I always say, “Thank you Callie or Cassie for this nutritious meal you worked hard for and provided for the family.”  The smile on their face says it all and they usually have a happy plate after dinner. 

I don’t believe it is ever too early or too late to start taking a kid out hunting, fishing, hiking, or exploring.  It does the soul good and the bonding experience is worth more than gold. 
Wild Turkey dinner

Duck Kabobs 

Deer Steak

Deer Stew



 Some people think hunting is just going out and shooting everything that walks in front of you.  That is not the case with me or my family, and several other hunters that I know.  We raise black Angus cows and I can almost compare our deer hunting to the same as our cow production.
  


We watch our herds year-round.  We put out supplemental feeds and minerals for both.   We plant fields to let them graze on and we cull the older ones to help the younger ones thrive.  

Both in our Cow herd and our deer herd the only difference is we don’t fence in the deer they are wild and free to go anywhere.  But if you keep their food available year-round they don’t travel to far away. 
Christy Turner
I start deer hunting the first weekend in October and usually finish the deer season the first weekend in January.  I put in a lot of time those three months.  I might sit out in the woods from sun rise to sun set and not even see a deer.
Christy Turner
Then the next time I hunt I will have 20 bucks grazing in front of me.  I usually only shoot 1 buck a year and I want to make sure he is an older mature buck so I am picky and let the others walk. But it is just as exciting to sit there and watch all the wildlife around you and they don’t even know you are there.   
Christy Turner
I use to wear Billy’s hand me down camo clothing or I would shop the little boys section to try and find a better fit.  It worked for a while but then 7 years ago I discovered an amazing company based out of Gunnison Colorado called Prois.  
Cassity, Christy, and Calista Turner
I have been on their field staff position wearing and promoting their hunting apparel for women and girls ever since.  Prois is designed with the serious female hunter in mind.  Each piece is created to provide the highest level of function to help improve performance in the field.

 
Christy and Calista Turner
They select only the top rated performance fabrics to provide wind-stopping, wicking , waterproofing, silence and thermos-regulation.
Cassity Turner
The Prois Posse is a sisterhood throughout the country, reminding me of similarities of our rodeo family.  We are all spread out and at anytime any of them will be there for you when you need them or just a place to stay as your traveling through. 

Calista Turner
Soon after I joined the Prois staff I was contacted by Huntress Life Magazine asking if I could write a story about a hunt I had just recently been on.
Christy Turner
I am not a writer, but I had a lot of fun with this.  For the next 3 years they would contact me every other month asking if I had a new story.      
Turner Twins
Of course, I always had something to write about.  
Christy Turner

During the slow times when it wasn’t hunting season I wrote about how to clean and care for your guns.
Christy Turner
About a fabulous bass fishing weekend and how to clean, prepare and then cook the fish.

 I talked about attending ladies only hunts.  I have attended several of these over the years and have had a blast at each one.  The ladies hunts I have attended have been here in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and this latest fishing adventure up in Alaska. 
Christy Turner
I wrote about working so hard and giving it all you got for the whole season of Turkey season and still coming home empty handed. 
ChristyTurner 
It is not about going out and shooting and killing, its about the things you learn on the way and getting to try again.
Christy Turner
 I wrote about how many hours I spend deer hunting just to get busted by the change in the wind direction.  I am very careful with my scent control.  Before I hunt I shower and wash my hair in a no scent shampoo.  I use the no scent soap.  I wear the special no scent deodorant.  I put my hunting clothes that have been washed in the special no scent detergent and dried with the special dryer sheet  which has been safely stored in the plastic zip bag so no odors could get on them.  I spray myself down with the no scent spray even on the bottom of my hunting boots and what happens.  The wind will change directions and those deer are very smart.   
Christy Turner

How to care for your trophy if you are wanting to take it to a taxidermist to preserve your memories for a lifetime.
Christy Turner
Tips and tricks about Shed hunting.  We will spend the whole day walking and hiking a grid like pattern looking for deer sheds usually the best time is in March.  
 5 years ago I met Jon and Stacy Sissney hosts of His & Hers Outdoors tv show.  We became good friends and they asked me to be a part of their team.  
Cassity and Calista Turner
His and Hers Outdoors motto is Real Lives, Real Families, Real Hunting.
Nothing is staged or fake, we have had a lot of fun.  It feels like we get to share our home movies of our adventures with millions of people nationwide.

Jon gave me a video camera and told me just to film everything we do.  It has been a challenge when I self-film which happens a lot.  I have missed a lot of opportunities because I could not get the camera on the deer or turkey or hog.  Sometimes  thing happen fast. 

Billy and even the girls help film, we all take turns when we can.  Thankfully His and Hers Outdoors have magical producers, who can turn my mess into a story.
We are a team of three families, Jon and Stacy are in Oklahoma, Josh is in Idaho and we are the Texas family.
For the past 7 years the show has aired nationwide on the Pursuit Chanel. 
  

This year they are moving towards short films and have a radio show on 1640 AM The Eagle.  Saturday mornings at 5:30 am and from 8am-9am
Angelle, Ruth, and Christy in Homer Alaska

Christy Turner with a "chicken" Halibut

Christy Turner, Chickaloon Alaska



Christy Turner

Christy Turner



Ruth making Moose Chili 



Billy and Christy with a His and Hers Deer hunt!


The End, thank you for your time.