Growing up in southern Jefferson County, FL, on the family farm, I had plenty of room to roam and explore the beautiful rolling hills and creek bottoms that were located on our farm and surrounding neighbors’ properties. My father, W.J., had restocked a few turkeys back in the late ’50s on our farm, and I reckon they were somewhat successful because we had a lot of turkeys then, but very few deer.
Dad had carried me turkey hunting several times in the fall with an older gentleman, Mr. Pitts. We would basically ride around and try to bust up some fall flocks and call them back in as they reassembled. I was probably 12 or 13 at the time in the early ’70s, and we harvested two nice gobblers during those fall hunts.
I think it was in the Spring of 1972-1973, Dad gave me a small slate call that was made by a gentleman named Tiny Conner. It was a slat call that the top actually fit into the bottom portion that held the slate. Man, I wish I still had that call.
My Dad exposed me to hunting in a lot of different ways growing up…dove and quail hunting early on, deer hunting later on. But that Spring, he introduced me to turkey hunting…not actually carrying me himself, because he had never really Spring turkey hunted himself. There was a County road adjacent to our family property called the WPA Road, which was constructed back in the Depression. It traveled for several miles through a lot of property the St. Joe Paper Company owned at the time, which was open to the public. It had one large hill on it that was called The Blue Pond Hill. The pond sat at the bottom of the hill. I recall Daddy and I drove over one late afternoon and stopped on top of the hill, got out with that little Tiny Conner slate call, and proceeded to begin calling. We had a gobbler answer us, either on the roost or just late that afternoon. That’s probably the first time I ever heard a turkey gobble. I think Daddy told me it was Spring turkey season, and I could go hunt.
There weren’t a lot of people in our area back then that turkey hunted. I decided to go right by myself that next weekend or so. I remember Daddy letting me use our old farm truck to drive to the back of the farm that morning, and I walked into a series of little fields right about daylight. I walked over into a field where we had heard that gobbler a few days earlier. Shortly after daylight, I began to hear him gobble on the roost, and I went kind of towards where I believed he was located in another field which was a little closer to where he was roosted. I began calling a little bit, and he seemed to answer me or was just gobbling on his own…who knows. He kept gobbling pretty steady, and I could tell that he was moving from my right to my left a couple of hundred yards away, and not really getting closer to me, but rather seemed to be moving towards the field that I had walked through earlier.
Probably the only thing I did right that morning was I haul-tailed back around to that little field I had previously walked through. There was a large debris pile, logs, and trees, that had been piled up in this little 2-3-acre field. I was shooting an old 12-gauge Remington 1100 humpback made on a Browning pattern with 2 3/4 inch No. 2s shells. One thing I knew is turkeys had X-ray vision. As I hid in the middle of that pile, I could hardly see out of it. As I settled in, I called a couple of times, and the gobbler answered me.
A few minutes went by, and I hadn’t heard anything. The sun was beginning to peak over the treetops into the field. About that time, I was looking around the edge of the field, and as the gobbler steps into the edge of the field, he goes into full strut and double gobbles. I had quite a hard time catching my breath, my heart was beating so fast. It’s a memory I will always treasure. As the gobbler strutted further into the field, he began feeding on nut grass, sprouts, etc., where the field had been plowed in preparation for planting. As he moved from my left to right, and probably 40-50 steps, he was moving toward a blind spot where I knew I wouldn’t be able to see him. I was sitting there thinking that I needed to stand up to be able to shoot out of this pile of trees…first mistake, not having a clear vision of the field. Thinking as soon as I stood up, he would probably fly because, with his X-ray vision, he knew I was there. But I had to chance it. I had to shoot right then. As I stood up, I had my gun on him. He had no idea I was there. But when I did stand up, he immediately saw me and stuck out his long neck. Who knows where I was aiming…head/body…probably body, I shot. And as he took off flying, I shoot again and again as he flew over the treetops.
To say I was disappointed or heartbroken is an understatement. I wanted to carry that turkey back to show my Daddy so bad, I had tears in my eyes. But as I drove back to the house, seeing that gobbler strut and gobble lit a burning desire in me for turkey hunting.
There weren’t any video or tv shows back then, Mossy Oak camo or decoys, and really none of my peers or relatives Spring turkey hunted, so it was all by trial and error. One person that was a well-known turkey hunter at that time was Dr. John Ward, who was our family doctor in Monticello. We only had two doctors in the whole county back then, and he was one of them. Dr. Ward dove-hunted with Daddy periodically. That’s how I met Dr. Ward’s son, Charlie, and became fast friends with him. I think Dr. Ward carried Charlie and I Spring turkey hunting a couple of times. I do remember Dr. Ward giving me my first mouth call, which was a Penn Woods diaphragm call. Charlie and I became lifelong friends. We remain close to this day, and have harvested more turkeys together than we can remember.
As I grew older, Charlie and I, and another friend, Richard Brumbley, Spring turkey hunted every possible day we could…before school, after school, weekends. It was all just trial and error. We had a lot of turkeys back then, so it was a lot of error. It was not uncommon for us to hear five or six different gobblers on a morning hunt. I didn’t realize then as I do now, but I grew up turkey hunting in some of the prettiest hardwood bottoms with sand creeks, white oaks, beech and magnolia trees, etc., perfect turkey habitat.
After a lot of trial, I kind of began figuring out things to do to be a successful hunter. One of the better lessons I learned from experience is when to be and not to be aggressive. When you have a gobbler that is using a certain area as a strut zone, field, open hammock, etc., and let’s say you are very close to getting a shot one morning, don’t make the mistake of pressuring him and ever letting him know you are there if you are not in the correct position. Try to pattern him to be in a better position the next morning, and there’s a good chance he will possibly be in the same area. If you spook him the first morning, that game is over.
Looking back on that first Spring morning, it has influenced my life and career extensively. It was the first time that I had experienced an adrenaline rush like I had never experienced before in the outdoors, and I just wanted more and more. I had become addicted to turkey hunting and wasn’t even aware. Gradually, I became more successful as the years went by and began guiding friends and family. I had the pleasure of guiding on a few tv shows; one of the first being “The Outdoor Trail” with Wayne Pearson in the early ’80s. After my father passed away in ’88, I changed careers from farming/tree nursery to a land management position at Honey Lake Plantation located in Madison County, and shortly thereafter, River Ridge Plantation in Leon County. To say River Ridge, which was located along the Ochlocknee River, had turkeys is an understatement. I was so blessed to have managed the turkeys on both of those properties. Hopefully, I have given back and raised more turkeys on these properties than I have ever taken. I also became a life member of the NWTF in the early ’80s.
Turkey hunting has allowed me to meet some people from all over the United States who became life-long friends because of our common love for the hunt, including a few dignitaries that I would have never had the pleasure of hunting with and guiding, including the late Governor Lawton Chiles and the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, as well as Judges, politicians, and celebrities, also including Cuz Strickland of Mossy Oak Productions. A good friend of mine, Brian Proctor, and I began a non-profit called Red Hills Wounded Warrior Group guiding countless wounded veterans over the past decade. Along with the assistance of adjoining landowners and numerous friends, it has truly been an honor and pleasure to guide our true American heroes with some of them harvesting their first turkey. Also, I am a big advocate of hunting with and guiding our youth in becoming future outdoors persons.
As I look back on that first Spring turkey hunt, me being a little redneck farming boy from Jefferson County that loved exploring in the woods, seeing that gobbler come gobbling and strutting into that field that early morning gave me a passion for the outdoors that has shaped my life and career from land management to now a land broker. Hopefully, through my years, I have passed along the passion and knowledge of turkey hunting experiences to my kids, grandkids, and a host of friends. I feel so blessed by God, from that first Spring morning to now, to be able to hear the whippoorwills sing, to see beautiful sunrises, dogwoods blooming, and the woods coming alive; and, of course, to see and hear more gobblers in my lifetime than I can truly even count. However, the first solo hunt will forever be engrained as a shaping moment. A magical, formative memory, that forever shaped me into the sportsman and conservationist that I am today.
Written by Walter Hatchett
From murky farm ponds to pristine glacier-cut lakes and everything in between, Knox Daniels’ expertise stems from a lifelong fascination of water and the creatures that live in and around it. He recognizes and helps clients appreciate the value water features bring to a property. “My goal is to help buyers realize and sellers maximize the value different water bodies bring to a property, not only in a recreational sense, but also for social storm reasons.” After extensively traveling the country for collegiate BASS fishing tournaments, Knox graduated and worked for the Southeast’s finest fisheries and wildlife biologist, Greg Grimes. With Grimes’ company, AES, Knox managed many of the southeast’s finest private lake estate/impoundment properties, and learned the intricacies of upscale property management. Learning from Greg and other biologists, Knox honed in on the specific conditions and habitat needed for optimal gamefish growth in private lakes. He has also worked as a property manager on several thousand acres and for a commercial developer, facilitating the dirt work and builds of several apartment complexes, but his true passion has always been in the outdoors. “I’ve always had an insatiable fascination with ponds/lakes and am grateful to be able to help to place clients on the properties of their dreams and make their personal fisheries/wildlife goals reality with JKA.” – Knox Daniels
Jason has been assisting landowners for the last 28 years in Georgia and South Carolina obtain achievements the owners did not realize were possible. His degree in Biology from Georgia Southern stemmed from the desire to know how things in nature work. His plantation roots began at just 16 years old outside of Albany, GA and the last 20 years were spent in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His entire career has been spent developing a global approach to plantation management. That plan included sales. Sales is in Jason’s blood- his mom had a 45-year career as a real estate broker. After college, he chose to pursue his passion of making properties great. In 2011, Jason sold his first plantation. Since then, he has assisted buyers and sellers with over $20 million in sales while most of that time working as a full-time General Manager of a large Lowcountry plantation. Today, he is committed to using his unique skill set and experience to guide landowners through the many challenges of plantation ownership.
Bruce Ratliff is a retired elected official (Property Appraiser Taylor County). Bruce brings years of experience in ad valorem tax knowledge. His property tax background gives JKA Associates & clients a unique insight into the complicated tax process. Bruce held several positions in the Florida Association of Property Appraisers, including member of the Board of Directors, President, Vice-President and Secretary, and served on the Agricultural & Legislative Committees for the Association. The real estate business has been part of Bruce’s life since childhood. His mother, Shirley Ratliff owned Professional Realty of Perry, Florida and his father, Buster owned Ratliff Land Surveying which Bruce was General Manager of before his political career.
Hailing from a long line of outdoorsmen, Tim learned a great deal from his father and grandfather. He saw first-hand what it means to be a good land steward. He believes land is so much more than a place to hunt, fish, and grow timber or crops. “It’s an identity, a resting place, a safe haven and a way of life, said Tim.” Tim’s family ties to Alabama run deep. During his grandfather’s first term, Governor James was responsible for signing into law Alabama’s first state duck stamp which helped to ensure funding for the procurement, development, and preservation of wetlands for migratory waterfowl habitat. He also established Alabama’s lifetime hunting license, so it is no surprise that Tim is an avid outdoorsman with a keen eye as to how best to improve habitat for the greater good of its wildlife.
With Madison County roots, Lori grew up on her family farm at Pettis Springs along the historic Aucilla River. A love of the land was instilled in Lori very early on by her father who was a local farmer. Lori understands the importance of good land stewardship and has witnessed first-hand how her own father, a former 2-term member of the Florida House of Representatives whose district encompassed many rural counties of the Red Hills Plantation Region, with a little bit of sweat equity, so lovingly worked their own family land. These are core values she carries with her today, and nothing gives her more personal satisfaction than to represent some of the south’s best land stewards.
Cole’s dedication to land management lies in his family roots. As a fourth-generation timber expert, Cole’s earliest memories were spent with his father managing timber investments. With a degree in Food Resource Economics from the University of Florida, Cole is the epitome of an up-and-coming leader. He grew up with a hands-on approach to learning land management and conservation and has spent the last 15 years learning every angle of the real estate and forest industry. Cole is a member of the Florida Forestry Association, Red Hills Quail Forever, Southeastern Wood Producers Association and he uses this platform as an advocate for landowners and their land investments. His family has dedicated the past 60 years to providing landowners in North Florida and South Georgia with professional land management services focused on improving and protecting one’s forestland and wildlife investment. In fact, their family business, M.A. Rigoni, Inc., was one of the first to introduce whole tree chipping to the Red Hills Region.
As a landowner of his own family farm, Lick Skillet, along with family land that has been passed down and enjoyed together at Keaton Beach for 40 years, Jon knows what it means to be a steward of the last best places. As a third-generation land broker with more than 30 years of experience in advising landowners in this niche, Jon is known for his innate ability to harvest a land’s unique intrinsic value. Touting several notable sales under his belt, Jon personally closed Rock Creek/Molpus – 124,000 acres of premium timberland at $142,000,000 – which was known as the largest timberland land sale in the Southeast for eight years running. He is a co-founding member of LandLeader and achieved the real estate industry’s highest honor, “2022 National Broker of the Year – Recreational Land Sales,” by the Realtors® Land Institute.