I have known Mike Giles since he first tried his hand at writing outdoors columns. I have followed his path and watched him progress from a fledgling writer into a genuine professional who not only writes columns for newspapers and magazines but has successfully delved into writing top notch books.
Passion of the Wild was Giles’ first book published in 2013 and he has just released his second book, Legends of the Spring, Masters of the Call.
Not only is he a fine wordsmith, Giles is an avid hunter and fisherman with his love for turkey hunting emerging as his favorite thing to do in the realm of hunting. Personally, I have been amazed not only in his ability to outsmart a number ofwary gobblers but by the fact he could leave his turkey calls at home because he can make all the calls necessary to fool a gobbler without the use of mechanical calls. He can produce them all with his voice.
His latest book involves his interviewing some of the best turkey hunters around the country and having them share with him a favorite hunt they may have had. The stories that emerged have been translated into 21 chapters with some of the best known hunters telling about what they did – or didn’t do – to waylay gobblers.
Avid hunter and renowned wildlife photographer, Tes Jolly, tells a story that will tug at your heart strings. We first learn who she is, having been reared by parents who were avid hunters and her frustration at a hunting club rule that was for men only. A “tomboy”at the age of nine, Tes’ parents came up with a ploy that enabled her to get to hunt. They dressed her in oversized clothes and a floppy hat and was given the nickname of “Harvey”, enabling her to fit in undetected with her brothersas she enjoyed success as a hunter/.
Jolly’s interest over the years has zeroed in on mentoring and passing on the hunting tradition to women, youth and the physically challenged. In 1998, she was introduced to Ashley, a 10 year old girl, who had endured surgery for a brain tumor but wanted to turkey hunt. Jolly was able to travel to Florida to take Ashley hunting and watched her down a big gobbler. Sadly, she returned to Florida a few months later to pay last respects to Ashley who lost her battle with brain cancer.
There is a story about avid turkey hunter and writer, Jim Spencer describing his frustrating hunt for a hard-headed Texas Rio Grand gobbler. The way Spencer tells a story will captivate the reader as he overcame all sorts of obstacles to finally at the last minute, bested the stubborn Texas gobbler.
Then there’s Med Palmer’s story about hunting with his son, Gunner, who was lost in a boating accident. The following season was rough on Palmer but he felt he had to go hunting in honor of his son.
“What are the odds of me going into the woods before daylight and realize I was sitting against the same tree Gunner had sat by on his last hunt when he killed his last gobbler,” said Palmer.
Space limitations prohibit me sharing some of the other fascinating stories but you can get your own hard cover copy of “Legends of the Spring; Masters of the Call by finding Michael O. Giles on Facebook or emailing him at mikegiles18@comcast.net.
If you’re a turkey hunter, this is one book that is hard to put down once you start readying and one you absolutely must have for your library.