Larry A. Smail's Blog

This proved to be one of those mornings when the events of nature truly blessed me. I quietly moved against a tree to await whatever the morning would show.  The time was 5;20 A.M. as I glanced about at the trees. I noticed a dark mass about 35 yards from me. I believed immediately I was seeing a turkey.

As the grays of pre-dawn started to become more defined I noticed a tail and occasionally watched it sway as a counter balance. Did the bird know of my presence or was my approach quiet enough to settle in without detection? A few times as the bird swayed on the roost it would puff its feathers up a little. Gobbler?

One of two sheds I found today.

Gil-obble-obble-obble! Yep, the turkey was a gobbler! I continued watching the bird as it occasionally puffed up as if to a semi-strut. The gobbling increased with gusto. A second bird gobbled behind me. I assumed this was a young gobbler. Fifteen minutes later, the turkey stood up on the limb, gobbled and tried to strut while maintaining balance. At this time, I noticed the four central tail feathers being longer than the rest of the tail. The bird was a jake. (A jake is a gobbler hatched last year.)

   He turned around and sailed to the ground directly to my left at about 25 yards. The turkey began to strut around. What a site! he worked up and over the hill and in a moment he was out of site. This would have been an easy shot! I elected to not try to get a photo because of the darkness of the time at 6:05 A.M. and I wanted to observe the turkey.

I now hurriedly exited across the hollow to try to intercept the two gobblers I had been hearing too. I failed to make it in time and silence became the sound to hear. Apparently, they became “henned up.”                                                                                                         

Gordy Olsen’s Locator

I saw six deer, some squirrels and a grouse too. I quit at 9:00 in order to stop at cousin Donnie’s home. He need my help in removing fish and old leaves as he drained his decorative pool. I transported two bull frogs and a red-spotted newt to my home. Hope they enjoy the new home!