Larry A. Smail's Blog

Praying Mantis egg case

I was placed deep into the woods and along a ridge hoping to hear some active roost talk.  All I heard was a great-horned owl and later squirrel activity. A pileated woodpecker raised a raucous too. The woods were void of any audible turkey talk. I say audible because of the breeze and distant truck traffic on Route 422 made hearing any  far off replies to my turkey calling strained. I could hear birds a couple of hundred yards at best unless I was on the lee side of a hill.

Gray squirrel

I began a walk and call plan checking favored feeding areas from past hunts. I did see a number of deer and a load of squirrels.  However, the negative aspects alluded to a decision. I needed to see some new acreage. Bob wasn’t out today so I headed for some turkey hunting grounds near my homestead.

Need the orange powder and this Cheesy will be ready for consumpation

I checked a great area for turkey habitat first. This side of the hill produced earlier sign from a day or so. Unfortunately, this side of the hill borders Route 422 too. You can imagine the truck traffic noise. I exited this side and began a trek through some difficult vegetation on the opposite side of the hill. I find it amazing how a few hundred yards can muff the sounds so well.

At this site, I saw more deer and watched a grouse fly out and land ahead. I found no turkey sign through this area.

Wild Grapes

I worked upslope to check a field for activity. Again, I saw deer! I walked across the field to call down and over a mature pine site. My mother had seen a small flock of turkeys below these pines on Saturday afternoon. I went to the top and changed course leaving a few hundred yards of pines unchecked.

I walked about a half mile or so over and across an old reclaimed strip mine. I remembered times of my youth hunting this mine when the trees were mature and filled with squirrels. Today, the area has various tree growth, high grasses and goldenrods. I was, pleasantly surprised to flush a woodcock. Crows and ravens were active father into the strip. I wondered what had their attention.

Don’t grab it! The Devil’s Walking Stick

Eventually, I turned back towards the earlier mentioned field and pines. I was heading towards my car and home. I had some errands to do later.

I could see my car from the field’s edge when I turned to enter the pines again at an area choked with vines and briars. I heard some steps! TURKEYS I THOUGHT!

Four birds exited the back side of this steep slope. I watched them cross a township road and soar off to the same area I was at when I first arrived to this hunting spot. I hurried back to the car and crossed the road and went towards where I thought the birds may have landed.

Stink Finger Fungus

I slowly walked down around looking for a set up site. The truck traffic was loud as before. I set up along a mowed- cut through the woods and began calling loudly. I could see a house several hundred yards out. This house was along Route 422.

Suddenly, I heard a dog bark and voices from the house. I began wondering if he could hear my calling. I elected to withdraw farther from the cut. Good move! Soon a figure of a man could be seen. He saw some orange and I waved at him prior to talking. He apologized for messing up my hunt. he had seen turkeys landing, but a red fox was, also viewed. He told me he was hoping to find the fox.                                                                                                                                                                

Anyway, after all of this, I chose to head to the car and home. I was feeling rather well, as far as, pains from the Saturday fall.