It was finally the weekend. Spring turkey season had arrived and all Neal Windley of Norfolk, Virginia, wanted to do was get to his farm, change into his camouflage and get into the woods. What he found when he arrived not only put a halt to his weekend of hunting, it also cost him thousands of dollars in repair and prevention.

 Windley’s hunt camp was demolished. Windows were broken, a television and other items were missing and the once clean and comfortable house had been turned into a disaster area. Sadly, that was not the first time this had happened. Vandals had trashed his camp two other times. Sweeping up glass and filling out police reports were not what he had in mind when he and a good friend originally bought the land in the early 1990s.

 “Our farm has most of the conveniences of home, and I guess that’s what makes it so appealing to be there,” Windley said of the camp located in southeast Virginia. “It’s a personal thing to be violated like that. It really makes me angry.”

 In all, more than $3,000 worth of damage and loss of property occurred during the three break-ins. This prompted Windley to spend an additional $1,200 on preventative measures, such as installing a security system and new dead-bolt locks.

 “It’s a shame to know we have to go through all this trouble just to hunt,” Windley said.

 In rural Edgefield County, South Carolina, there are many hunt camps, and each summer, they become a target for thieves and vandals. According to Edgefield County Sheriff Adell Dobey, taking a few precautionary measures can ensure your possessions will be just as you left them last hunt season.

 “The best way to prevent someone from breaking in is to give the appearance that someone is home,” Dobey said. “Leave a radio or television playing, put your lights on a timer or leave an unused vehicle in the driveway. These are good ways to keep trespassers away.”

 Another way to keep your hunt camp safe is to make the local authorities aware that you are going to be away. Talk to the sheriff’s department, U.S. Forest Service and local conservation law enforcement office in the area. Each of these offices makes regular patrols and can help protect your hunt camp.

 According to Capt. Mike England of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, leaving keys to your property’s gates is a good way to help your local conservation office watch your place while you are away.

 “The relationship between you and your local ranger can play an important role in keeping your hunt camp safe,” England said. “Different hunting clubs will contact us and give us a list of their phone numbers, their vehicle descriptions and a key to the gate. This allows us to keep an eye on things during non hunting seasons.”

 The following are a few additional tips for keeping your hunt camp safe during the off season.

  * Make sure to take as many of your valuables with you as possible to eliminate the risk of them being stolen while you are away.

  * Make sure all your valuables are locked away. Spending a few more dollars on quality locks and dead bolts will deter thieves and vandals that much more. Though costly, installing a security system is another way to have piece of mind that your possessions are safe.

 * Record all serial numbers and put distinguishing marks on all items. By keeping a record of serial numbers, it will help police recover stolen items, such as ATVs, electronic equipment or generators. Put marks or recognizable numbers on tree stands and blinds. This can help law enforcement agents identify these items in the field if they are stolen.

 * Photograph expensive goods and keep them in a safe place. Photographs can better help police identify stolen items.

 * Make sure you have insurance. Keep your insurance policy up to date and make sure it includes boats, ATVs or any item that may not be covered under a standard homeowner’s or renter’s policy.

 * Make friends with a year-round resident in the area or neighbor and ask them to keep a watch over your property. Offer them a benefit, such as a place to ride their horses or allowing them to cut hay in one of your fields, in exchange for keeping an eye on your hunt camp.

 * Post no trespassing signs at all entrances and along property lines of your land.

 * Construct gates at every entrance to your property, and keep them locked. Criminals are less likely to steal large or heavy items, such as appliances, if they have to carry them long distances.

 * If possible, store ATVs, tractors, riding mowers and boats inside locked sheds or barns. Lock and secure these items inside the barn as well. Even if thieves break into the building, having everything locked up separately may frustrate them and deter them from stealing everything.

 * Hide keys (or keep them with you) to outbuildings, gates, ATVs, etc. If a burglar breaks into your house or lodge, you don’t want to provide them with easy access to everything else on your property.

  In the event that a break-in does occur, make sure you contact the local authorities immediately and stay clear of the crime scene until they arrive.

 “As soon as you observe that there is a break-in, stop where you are and call 911,” Dobey said. “Moving around the crime scene and touching things may destroy critical evidence that might be valuable in the case.”

  The NWTF is a 450,000-member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.

 For more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation, call (803) 637-3106, check out their web site at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.

 During the early American migration across this great country of ours, a primary concern of all these early travelers was finding good drinking water. Most of us never consider the countless people who died from the want of water. Most of us don't even realize how many more died or became seriously ill from drinking bad water. Water. Many of us take it for granted every day. We use it by the gallons and we waste it by the gallons. Why? Because it is always there. Or, is it?

 In today's society, our water supply is as about as pure as it can be. Sure, in some areas we can smell or taste the chemicals that are used to treat it. I will not get into how safe your individual water is, or your local water treatment procedures. Other than to say it is usually safe enough for us to drink. But, how safe is your water when you camp or if you have to survive for any period of time?

 Lets look at a couple of things to keep in mind about water. First, all water is not equal. Some water, while looking pure, may be filled with what I call "micro-critters." Now, I will not get into the various things that can be found in water, it bores me and would you. (But they are ugly under a microscope). Besides, I don't remember most of the names and know I could not even begin to spell them. Nonetheless, untreated water may be filled with micro-critters. Second, use some common sense here and treat all water, unless you bring it from home or bought it in a store. Treat it all as if it is not safe to drink.

 Well, I suspect some of you are thinking about using fresh rain water, right? No need to treat it because it is fresh and clean? Think about that for a bit. With acid rain and pollution do you really think that is a very good idea? Or maybe the tarp or cloth you use to collect it in is dirty or contaminated by a substance. Sure, it may be pure and then again it may not be. I avoid rain water because it is just too hard for me to catch and bottle. Regardless, if you are forced to use any water of unknown quality..treat it.

 If you have to use water that nature provides, use water that is fast moving. Make sure your water of choice is as clear looking as you can find. While having clear looking water is no assurance it is safe to drink, it is easier to drink water that looks like the water we usually drink. Avoid water from swamps, ponds, or stagnate spots (like puddles or hollow tree stumps). Also, avoid water sources near your designated toilets. I always get my water up stream at least one hundred feet from our camp site (even water not intended for drinking). While this is still no guarantee the water is safe, I know what a group of youngsters can do to and in the water in front of my camp site.

  Store all good drinking water in marked containers that are sold for that purpose only. Make sure all your fellow campers know what water is for drinking only. Do not use containers that have previously held dangerous chemicals, alcohol, gasoline or other possible toxic substances. It would be easy to have good drinking water contaminated by residue in the container. And, you might not even realize what is happening to you until you get ill. Remember, use only commercially designated water containers.

 There are many different ways to treat water. There are commercial filters that keep the "critters" out (some are almost as small as a drinking straw), you can boil it for XX number of minutes for each thousand feet you are above sea level, use chlorine, or commercial water purification tablets. By now some of you know me and already have an idea of which one I would use...yep, the tablets. Seems the filters cost too much, I can never remember how long to boil it or how high I am above sea level, and I don't like to juggle measurements of chemicals. So, I use the tablets for my drinking water. It is very simple. Just follow the directions on the bottle label the tablets come in. It works for me.

 Now, little secret you Vets know. If you treat your water it will taste like it has been treated, especially in a metal canteen. Additionally, it will have bit of a chemical smell to it. Many Veterans know that you can mask this taste and slight smell by adding just a little powdered drink to it. I like the cherry drink, so I add the powder to my canteen. Of course, I do not treat the primary container, just my individual canteen. That keeps the main container clean for everyone's usage and lets us treat our canteens with our individual powders.

 In an emergency if the water you have to drink is slightly muddy or murky you may have to filter it before you can drink it. This can be water from a river or other source. I hate "hard water" (a little muddy looking), so I carry a small piece of cloth with me to work as a filter. This "thick" water may have to be filtered a number of times before it looks good enough for you to even consider drinking. If that still doesn't seem to work, you can construct a filter using many different layers of sand, small pebbles and cloth. This type of filter will usually help the water look better, but it is still not safe to drink. Or, after you filter it you can just let it set for a while. The sediments will eventually settle to the bottom of your container. Keep in mind that once it looks good, it will still need to be treated. And, one note on the use of emergency water..if you are not in an emergency don't use it. Additionally, if you use emergency water attempt to bring a sample back home with you and give it to your doctor. Bad water is nothing to play with.

 Water. We use it every day and we waste it every day as well. When we camp our water supply suddenly becomes much more important, regardless if we realize it or not. Bad water can cause illnesses as minor as diarrhea or others that are much more severe. In some cases bad water can even be life threatening. Remember to drink only safe water from home or bottled water that has been purchased. If you must use what nature supplies, or if you are unsure of its purity either do not use it, or treat it. I always think of the old survival adage about water and food, "If in doubt, throw it out." It is just not worth the risk. Y'all stay safe and have a fun summer. Gary Benton

 Gary Benton is a retired United States Air Force Senior Master Sergeant. Sergeant Benton is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force water, desert, mountain, and jungle survival schools. He spent twelve years teaching parachuting techniques and survival skills to Air Force aircrew members. He has an Associates Degree in Search and Rescue, Survival Operations, a Bacholers Degree in Safety and Health, and a Masters Degree in Psychology. Sergeant Benton retired from the USAF in 1997 with over twenty-six years of active duty.

  CAST, PLOP, REEL! The bobber disappeared beneath the water. I had waited all winter long to set the hook on a Kentucky Lake bluegill and here I was finally doing it. This was the start of a four day fishing adventure I had with my Dad starting May the first of this year. We had made plans back in the winter to head to Kentucky lake for the bluegill spawn and we weren't disappointed. We had arrived the night before a little after 11:00pm and set up camp at Howell's Resort near Paris Landing in Tennessee not far from the Kentucky border. Howell's isn't the fanciest place around the lake but they have everything you need to make your trip an enjoyable one. They have a sign in their bait shop that says, "Every cricket guranteed to catch a fish or die trying". Everyone we used did just that.

 Back to the fishing. After launching Country Bob's new pontoon boat we headed across the Big Sandy river on our way down the Tennessee river section of the lake to try the spots we remembered from ten years ago. See neither one of us had been there in quite awhile. The last time I fished Kentucky Lake was 1995 to go crappie fishing and Dad hadn't been there since '93. We hoped the old hot spots would pay off again. We decided to head to the farthest spot and work our way back up river. Dropping the trolling motor we started trolling down the bank casting as we went. When we caught two from the same spot we would drop the anchors and fish the spot thoroughly. We would catch six or eight gillies and then move on still looking for that special spot.

 After fishing the first area and only achieving moderate success we moved on. Pulling into a small cove to try our luck again Dad made the comment that he never had any luck in this spot. I told him things can change in all those years and that this spot looked as good as any other. He agreed and we started fishing. As we got to the back of the cove Dad set the hook on a nice gillie and down went the anchors. Cast after cast would yield a bluegill, redear or a longear sunfish. The cricket buckets were getting low and the livewell was getting full. We were having a ball! This is what we had came for.

 The sky started to get dark and a few rain drops started to fall. I got out the rain suits and we started to button down everything getting ready for the storm we knew was coming. In the blink of an eye the wind blew us clear across the cove dragging the anchors the whole way. I managed to get the boat back across the cove and tied to a tree while Country Bob wrestled with his rainsuit. What a storm! We decided it was safer to stay where we were then to make a run for it back to the dock. We were a long way from home and the lake was really rough. After riding out the storm for close to an hour the rain stopped but the wind was still blowing. We decided to head for home. Putting on our life jackets we headed out into the lake. Holy cow! What a ride! The boat would crest a wave and then plummet down into the trough with the bow crashing into the next wave. Water was crashing over the bow and running to the back of the boat. Thank God we were on a pontoon boat and not in a regular bass boat as I would have been bailing water to help out the bilge pump as it wouldn't have been able to keep up with the water coming in. There was three to four inches of water on the deck in front of the back seat where my feet were but it managed to run out the back. Day one ended with wet feet and 87 fish to clean.

 Day two we headed back to our spot in the cove. Again cast after cast yielded a fish. Sometimes every cast, sometimes every other but it was fun. No big surprises this day except we got wet crossing Big Sandy because the wind had the waves kicked up. It seems every time I've been fishing this spring the wind has always been blowing. Can't seem to get away from it. Day two's total was 89 fish.

 On day three we decided to try a different spot. One that we had remembered from years past. It didn't disappoint. You had to cast as hard as you could against the wind but you were rewarded with a gillie on practicality every cast. The bite slowed after a while and we decided to troll on down the bank to see if we could find another bed. We had plans to come back to the lake in a few weeks and were searching for more hot spots. Only achieving minimal success we decided to head back to our honey hole to finish out the day. The honey hole paid off again. Again casting as hard as you could into the wind a fish was caught on just about every cast. As Dad napped I kept up the fishing, determined to break a hundred fish caught that day. Back at the dock we counted 105 on the cleaning table. I had did it! Now I had to fillet them all. Doh!

 Day four was another great day of fishing. Didn't break a hundred but we cleaned 88 at the end of the day. Another good day. That night severe storms hit the area. Tornados, wind, rain, hail, you name it it was there. We were very lucky that the real bad stuff went north and south of us. Getting up early the next morning we packed up and headed home to Illinois.

 Overall it was a great trip. Here was the tally for four days of fishing, averaging 5 hours a day on the water. 369 fish cleaned and out of those I only messed up 17 while filleting them, two broke electric fillet knives, two sore arms and one mild hangover.

 As I had mentioned before we had plans to go back in a few weeks but that didn't work out. Country Bob went back a week later and the lake was so high he couldn't get to the dock to get on the boat. And the lake was supposed to rise another five feet later in the week. So he spent the night and came back home the next day. We will be back next year for sure.

  If you plan to go to Kentucky lake bluegill fishing get yourself a bucket of crickets and start hitting the coves off the main lake. Start at the mouth and work the banks from one foot deep out to and including four feet deep. Work your way to the back and up the other side. You can stumble upon a bed in the unlikely place so just take a little time and fish an area thoroughly. Keep moving slowing around and cast to likely looking spots. When a big gillie is caught or you catch two from the same spot, drop your anchors quitely and start casting. When you hit a hot bed the action comes fast. Try to keep as much slack out of your line as possible. The wind can be a pain in the butt so be ready to deal with it. Be ready for a good time and maybe we'll see you one the lake next May. Until my next Backwoods adventure, James.