Larry A. Smail's Blog

    Those who know me can relate my love for the outdoors at this time of the year. They’ll, also, relate to my love for hunting fall turkeys. This year due to leg pain issues my hunts are few and short.                                                                     

I utilized crutches for four days recently. I had leg pain so extreme I couldn’t walk and a specialist told me that he expected I had a blood clot. he sent me to the emergency room where ultra sound and X-rays proved I had an acute led sprain. I have been taking physical therapy.

Pileated woodpecker

The therapist told me hunting and hiking would not be the best thing I could do, but he didn’t say I couldn’t just don’t over do the excursions.                                     

The third day of the fall turkey season found me hunting for a couple of hours. I did see eight turkeys in a field and later I walked into them. I hollered with an attempt for a good break but failed. I could have harvested any of 4-5 turkeys at that time, but I prefer to call them in.

The following morning, my step-father, Bob Miller and I went out for several hours. We, both heard roosting turkeys. I decided to try my luck at long-range calling instead of hurrying across the hollow for a break. The birds went off feeding. Bob, later saw 10-12 birds in a field near to the roost.

  I had a hen flush in front of me, but I failed to try for a shot. That kind of turkey hunting isn’t the way I hunt, but maybe I should have taken her due to my experiences.

Two morning later I failed to hear roosting birds. the high winds effectively lessened any chance to hear far birds. However, I walked onto a bird on the roost. I debated taking the shot, but elected to wait.

All of these hunts were only a few hours at a time at the most. This is difficult for me, but the pains dictate how much effort I can do in my pursuit of a wild turkey.                              

I have seen beautiful autumn scenery. I have seen many deer including  a number of buck. I have seen lots of gray squirrels and a few fox squirrels. I even saw a cottontail. I had the pleasure of listening to a great horned owl serenading the early minutes prior to sunrise.

I will try to hunt, again, after a few days and challenge myself for a successful hunt.