Larry A. Smail's Blog

   Thanksgiving evening as we set around holding our bellies, my step father, Bob and I anxiously watched the weather. We were planning to hunt turkeys the following morning so we hoped for a good coating of snow.

Small buck

The forecast was the snow was to be flurries only. I was hopeful tomorrow we would find tracks and the birds easily. There was an hour and a half of evening time when the snow was sparse. I was grateful we had that time frame for turkeys to move around prior to going to the roost. They can make a lot of tracks within that time.

Deer bed

The plan was to start a diagonal cut across the woodlands with me maneuvering with zigzags to cover a lot of territory and find those tracks. However, the plans were to be changed for the expected flurries overnight had become enough to cancel out any evening tracks. the plan, now, was to do the same, but my zigs were going to need to cover much more land than my zags.                                                                                                            

Everywhere I walked deer were present. Bob saw some too. I kept him on the flatter ground as much as possible as I watched for birds or tracks. We met up occasionally to alter plans as needed. He was to stay high and return towards a certain area as I walked around over the sides.

  I turned to make a change in direction and there were turkeys and close. I hollered and moved as fast as I dared. Some turkeys flew and others ran. I knew I had not the best of breaks, but I located Bob, and the eighty year old, had to, quickly, walk down over the hill’s side now.       

We set up and after a bit of time elapsed I began calling. We, later, heard the yelps to our left. The bird answered a couple of times. we waited. I had great concerns of the contrast of Bob and I against the white snow. I had  white camo, but Bob didn’t so we sat up among some fallen tree tops. The hen came in and began to sharply putt… her alarm call! We sat for over an hour and I failed to have anymore turkeys respond. Maybe if we could have waited longer??? We froze out and started the trek up and over and to the vehicle.

We had been in the woods for almost four hours. I saw a flock of turkeys; lots of deer and a great-horned owl. It was a good morning! (more…)

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Wednesday morning found Bob and I going separate ways again with hopes of hearing turkeys on the roost. We both failed! I began a call and walk approach to try to locate birds. The winds were not as bad, but enough of noise was present to make hearing far away birds impossible.

Notice the strong white bars on the tail feathers.

I slowly approached a crest on a hill to observe the back side and was disappointed to not see any turkeys. I then walked downslope  and walked below the hill’s rim and, later, as I came back up over I quickly noticed a turkey’s head drop and I immediately began to charge towards it. Five turkeys were in a mad dash up the slope as I hollered. I managed to get a slight break. Three birds went to my right and two went straight ahead. I couldn’t be positive of their gender, but, at least several appeared to be big birds.                       

I walked around looking for a good spot to set and call from. Tree tops littered the forest floor. No matter where I set I would only be able to see  in a few directions. I waited and later began calling loudly to overshadow the noise the best I could.

Forty-five minutes later I heard the loud “woody-like” putt of a gobbler. The turkey, you guessed it, came in  directly behind one of those tree tops. He was only about 15 yards from me and I just couldn’t get a shot. I decided to raised up and try to connect. The gobbler wouldn’t have anything of that blob against the tree (ME!) and soared off down the hill.

I remained another forty minutes or so calling. I began to get chilled from inactivity and the wind. Also, I wondered about Bob and decided to hit the brush and find him and, also, get warmed up.

I stood up and when I walked behind  to go over a slight rise in the terrain….you guessed it!  A second long beard took off. Neither bird uttered any sounds as is typical of older birds. They sneak in and watch. This bird was around 35 to 40 yards at most from where I had been calling from!!!!!!

I located Bob and we decided to go to another place for a short time before going home for leaf mulching. We saw another turkey fly across the trail. I saw deer and squirrels.

This morning I elected to hunt close to my homestead. I intended to make our family tradition of having breakfast with my mother, step father, Bob and my sister Ruthie. I hunted to after 8:00 while being blasted with rain. I saw a number of deer and squirrels and an owl, but I didn’t hear or see any turkeys.

After breakfast and my clothes in the dryer, I just couldn’t stand setting and off I went again to see if I could locate a nice bird. I returned to where I had hunted the day earlier and began a walk and call strategy.

About an hour into the hunt I came upon some fresh turkey scratchings. I walked some more and peered into a field and saw ten deer feeding.  A short distance further I saw turkey heads moving out in an area with pines and multiflora rose. I started into this mess to break them up and had to stop. I noticed several birds within range beginning to run and I had my 2014 fall gobbler. The tom was a gobbler of the year with a short beard.

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    Saturday, November 1, was the first day of Pennsylvania’s fall turkey season and I quit around noon! Memories of last year’s leg issue plagued me so I opted to not push too hard until I realized if any concerns might be present. (I spoke of the issues last year in various entries.)

Those beautiful beech in autumn glory!

My step father, Bob ad I failed to locate any turkeys on the roost. We, also, failed to find any throughout the morning’s walks. However, I did see plenty of deer, including several bucks. The rut is definitely on as they chased their girlfriends around! Monday, the second day started off very different. I told Bob to walk a gradual ascending gas well road and watch the tree-line for roosted turkeys. This would be easier for him since he is eighty years old!  I went elsewhere to do the same.

    Time hadn’t moved along much when Bob contacted me of 5-6 turkeys flying from the trees across the road and hollow. I hurried over and saw two birds fly off. I suspected two of the original birds landed again.

We set up and tried calling. I wasn’t feeling very confident since the birds all flew in the same direction. One needs a good break of the flock to call them back. We did hear some yelps across the road. I would later chase the bird from the tree. We eventually gave up and began hunting around searching for these birds or others. I saw plenty of deer again with some bucks as well. I, also, saw a grouse and porcupine.

Shortly before noon, I approached a crest on the hollow and spotted a turkey . Surprisingly, the bird, at about fifty yards, didn’t see me. The sun was directly behind me and in it’s eyes. I eased to behind a tree. I removed my orange vest and hat and placed orange behind me a few feet back. As I peered through the V of the tree trunks, I noticed about four birds preening. The hazel made seeing them difficult.

I tried a few very soft calls, but they were busy settling their feathers. I continued watching when the turkeys started feeding. Other birds became visible. I called again and clucks and yelps resulted. I could, now, see ten to twelve turkeys feeding and occasionally moving towards me. I debated to charge and break them up, but thoughts of falling on the decline entered my mind. I waited.

  Birds were at my range of about 38 to 40 yards at various times, but vegetation removed any chances. I felt my shot would come! Suddenly, mom moved straight up the hill and birds followed. Her head came up and that dreaded sound of an alarm putt was heard. She began moving away. I could not shoot at anytime because I would have taken multiple turkeys! She had seen the orange for 95% of me was behind the tree and I was motionless! I tried to break them up and most flew away together. However, once Bob reached me a lone hen came past us, but his shotgun wasn’t in position and mine was on the ground since I was trying to get him a shot. We saw another turkey fly out of a tree.

Later, I spotted a buck bedded down. I tried to get into a position for a great camera shot, but he wouldn’t have it. I did get a pic once he was up. We quit around two o’clock.

Tuesday, November 4th, found me , once again, trying to spot roosted birds along the eastern horizon. the winds and noise made hearing any roosted birds nearly impossible unless one was close. I hiked all around, but never saw a turkey. Where did they go? I spotted a buck standing and after a time, he bedded down, I back-stepped to avoid scaring him. I saw other deer as well. I went south and parked to hunt another area.

I walked and called along  the way. The wind made hearing almost impossible. I walked around an edge and spotted a mature gobbler about sixty yards away. We stared each other down when he and four other long bearded birds began to walk away. I instinctively moved a s quick as I dare and attempt breaking them up. They went over the side and when I came over I was only about 35 yards from them. they flew across the hollow together. I failed another breakup.                

The temps were up and I was tired and hot so I quit about 2:50.

Beautiful Pennsylvania!

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