As we come to another Christmas, I believe it’s a time to count my blessings. I’ll start with the most obvious in case you missed it. We are blessed to live in the land of opportunity with an almost unlimited freedom to do what we choose and worship as we like. I’m thankful for a Savior who was sent from our Father above and celebrate his birth with millions of others around the world. I pray that I will be a blessing to others as I have been blessed.

I’m forever thankful for my parents, Jack and Joy Giles, and my grandparents who have gone on before us. I’m blessed to have had such loving mentors of which I am forever grateful.

I’m blessed to live in a land rich in fish and game and the opportunity to pursue them all over this great country.

Capt. Bob Crosby guided me to my largest fish of the year, a monster 50-pound blue catfish on the floodwaters of the mighty Mississippi River in late February.

Bountiful quail outings followed with hot action with John Temple and Wayne Edwards.

Spring showers brought fruitful crappie fishing expeditions with Ken Murphy, Bruce Roberts and Joe Giles and many limits of crappie.

Bass fishing trips with Nathan Hodgins, Kyle Gowens and many others were exciting and outstanding.

Thunderous gobblers filled the springtime woods as I traveled the country and called up harvested almost too many gobblers to count!

I was blessed to travel around the country with Master Craftsmen and Call Makers Albert Paul, Mark McPhail, Paul Meek, Preston Pittman, Adam Stewart, Ford Mangum and Will Primos, with a deadly arsenal of calls from made by them that is!

Many a tom has fallen victim to my calls from that group of talented hunters.

I called up many old gobblers for myself and others and enjoyed a trek to the Midwest with Master Turkey Hunters Tilton Prater and Carroll Barber as we experienced the trip of my lifetime.

Prater worked his calling magic on many wise old gobblers and called up a double to 10 yards for Barber and me as I closed out my Midwest turkey hunt with a massive Merriam’s bird.

August brought blessings in the form of my first grandson, Zane Michael Gowens, who arrived right on time, but 6 weeks earlier than expected.

September brought red hot dove hunting action with Ken and Keith Covington as the birds flew fast and furious and provided much needed action and succulent table fare.

November brought more blessings from the woods as I harvested one of my best bucks, a 12-point, taken in Lauderdale County.

Though I could list many more blessings time and space won’t allow for that. Perhaps the greatest blessing of all is my wife, Kathy, daughter’s Chandler, Jackie, Mikayla, and son-in-law Kyle.

I’ve often told my children that the best thing I ever did for them was to find a Godly mother for them. The second best thing was to love their mother. Though I fall short many times, she has always been there for them and me.

We’ve entered a season of prosperity the likes of which this country has not seen in quite some time. There is ample opportunity to work, hunt, fish, and generally do whatever out heart desires. For that I give thanks to God and count my blessings for being born and raised in the southern part of one of the greatest nations that this world has ever known.

Thanks to all of our readers for your love, support and inspirational feedback. Without our many passionate outdoors people we wouldn’t have much to write about so thanks for sharing your outdoors triumphs with us and letting me spread your passion for living the outdoors life in the USA. God bless America and Merry Christmas!

Call Mike Giles at 601-917-3898 or email mikegiles18@comast.net.