Larry A. Smail's Blog

The lands of my youth!

I was able to hunt only a few hours this morning with my step-father, Bob. After a breakfast with my mother the two of us headed to an area to chase turkeys near my homestead. We drove about half-a-mile when I spotted 6-7 turkeys along a field’s edge at the base of a steep pine woodland. I didn’t stop, but continued to drive  to the top of the hill as we had planned. Bob walked along a field on the back-side of the same pines and settled in. My attack plan was to go back the road and circle towards the birds hoping for a break towards Bob’s position.

Swamp milkweed seeds waiting for wind.

I reached the field and the birds had vanished. I walked to where I had seen them and proceeded through the pines and towards the field where Bob just walked along. As I reached the top two turkeys flew out. Bob saw one! I watched one bird fly across the township road to another hill near Route 422. On no I thought,…noise again!

We set up at the site of the flush hoping more birds had been  there, but not viewed.  We failed to hear or see any turkeys, however, a buck walked below us and bedded down. I managed a few photos when the surrounding brush allowed for them.

Note antler at buck’s bedding site.

Eventually, we went across to the other hill, in case other turkeys had flushed across.  I circled down low and back upslope a deep hollow and suddenly 10-12 birds took flight. I hollered, but I didn’t run after them. (Remembering the first Saturday of turkey season and my bad fall!)

I located Bob. he saw one or two birds in the brush ahead of him. We set up for an hour and saw nothing. Upon hindsight, I believed the birds he saw were birds of the right-side of the flush. The main flock had went up and over into a field and because of the road noise the birds regrouped out of our hearing range and crossed the road again.

One of many buck rubs!

Unfortunately with the time at 12:30, we had to leave. I needed to get home, organized and play music in Kittanning by 3:00. Just below the homestead I saw a flock of turkeys while heading home. Turkeys are like that!