Larry A. Smail's Blog

Interesting tree

  The stars and moon shone bright as I slowly walked towards a listening point.  By 5:35 A.M. I heard gobbling clear across the big hollow. I went towards the sounds and discovered two gobbling birds within posted grounds. I set up, once again, to attempt to lure one of the birds to my calling.

Scarlet tanager

   One bird om my side of a hollow left the roost and walked almost out of hearing before coming back towards me. He was approximately 400+ yards away, I estimated. The other bird was across this hollow and about 200 yards from me.  I had to try. The closer bird flew out from his roost and I got a glimpse through the foliage. He went silent. Later I heard some hen chatter in his direction.

The other, and distant, bird heard my very loud calling . Eventually he became silent after gobbling for over one and a half hours. I became chilled, since I dressed light, and went up and over the edge of the hill. I called and a gobble followed by another stopped me. The bird still in posted land was just over 100 yards. I hurriedly set up. The bird went quiet. Did he see me setting up to call?

Celandine

  After a wait, I went across the hollow and road to check on Bob. While we were talking a gobbler blasted us from the hill I just left. I crept back and spent the morning  without any luck. I had to begin leave the woods at 10:00 since I was expected to be at the museum later this day. I found leaving the woods this morning difficult. I know something would have happened later on.

I saw a number of deer and squirrels. I, also, saw a baby woodcock.

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The Lucky Clucker

   Sometime ago, my friend, the late, Frank Piper called me for a  get-together  with wives for a meal out. He surprised me with a wooden box filled with turkey calls and other things related to turkey hunting. The box’s lid had one of my ink illustrations on it. Frank, at that time, was the owner of Penn’s Woods Calls. (His nephews now own the company.) Frank was a super great guy!!!! One of the calls in the box was the Lucky Clucker. it is great call for clucks; putts and purrs! Their site is: http://www.pennswoods.com