Turkey Calls
March 5, 2012
L. L. Bean Company just sent me their new Hunting catalog. That’s not quite odd; we’re such good friends that they send me all their catalogs – Summer, Men, Women, Children, Home, Christmas, Fishing, Outdoor Gear, and more. But I don’t know much about hunting, except for a few boyhood misadventures I don’t talk about. I don’t need a gun-cleaning kit or, I’m pretty sure, an ambush jacket and pants. Some stuff I don’t need was missing, including AK-47s and deep woods lingerie (maybe that doesn’t make sense in camo anyway).
I smiled, though, to see that William Penn made the Bean catalog. It offered Quaker calls for people who hunt turkeys – the William Penn Slate Turkey Call, the William Penn Twin Hen Cherry Box Call (the prettiest one, I thought), and the William Penn Cherry Owl Hooter. Probably the Pennsylvania company that makes them wants to trade on the Quaker reputation for integrity and quality. I’m glad, and I grin proudly that Beans didn’t offer Baptist Hooters. Then again, maybe Baptists don’t do hooters.
The catalog also showed practical gear for pets. For example, to train hunting dogs they offer Dead Fowl Scent Kits in the choices Quail, Waterfowl, or Grouse. These kits take scent sophistication to levels well above ordinary road kill. The catalog also pictured a Pet Tie-Down device, but it doesn’t look like it would work on top of your car. All in all, this grand collection of hunting gear both entertained and dazzled me.
When catalogs and other uninvited stuff shows up, I often choose being in fun over being annoyed. Fun works better. And I do hope my friends in Freeport will send me Deep Woods Gear and all their catalogs this year.
