Larry A. Smail's Blog

We have had some hot, and humid weather! Add allergies, and my gobbler hunting has been short in daily hours. Monday, the 18th of May, I told Laurie I would be hunting to no later than eight o’clock due to the weather. I did, however, move in on a roosting gobbler. I stopped on a gas line, and when he gobbled again, I knew I needed to not move any farther.   I set up and did some calling. The bird was interested. I heard a thud, and the bird was down. Seconds later I heard soft hen call, and the sounds of her flying down to the tom. All went silent. The following morning, I was near my homestead since I was to be helping with garage prep work again. I moved in an unorthodox matter, and set up below where the turkeys like to roost. This a very difficult area to set up on. I was forced to put some eye drops on my eyes for they were beginning to itch, and burn. At that time I heard some excited cuts exactly where I expected the turkey talk to be. I immediately spotted another hen closer to me. I watched her preen herself and balance on the limb before fly down. I saw two more hens fly down. No gobbling at all! Five hens were present. The heat closed in fast!   This morning, however, there was change in the weather. I was disappointed the skies were clouded over, but the temperatures were much cooler. I walked to the top of a hill in breezy conditions. At 5:30, the winds came and hearing became difficult. I moved into a field to try to get away from some of the tree noises from the wind. I thought I heard a gobbler far off, in fact, across a big hollow and a road.                   I stayed put until normal fly down time had passed. Later, I crossed the road to climb the hill and check out a field. As I walked along I called periodically. I heard a gobble! I moved in, set up, and began to call. He came close and shut up. This could be a sign the big bird was sneaking in. I waited for twenty minutes and became very chilled. I called and received silence. I had to move, so I circled on the back side of the terrain the tom had been gobbling from. I entered the area I believed the turkey was , and as I called I heard a gobbler. You guessed it, the turkey was exactly where I had been calling from earlier. I set up and began calling. He gobbled and I felt all things were falling into place. Again the turkey became quiet, but this time I was waiting. He was circling my position when a thunderous gobbler exploded in front of me. I could see the darkened form. The turkey moved slowly, and every time his head went behind cover I would adjust my sight alignment as needed. The big gobbler went behind some big trees and when he stepped out the eighteen yard shot was completed. the turkey weighed nineteen pounds and sported a 9 3/4 inch beard. His spurs were 7/8 of an inch long.