Larry A. Smail's Blog

Yes, I am slowly building up my energy levels. This was a rough bout with a stomach virus. Whatever, I had knocked me out! Laurie, is still struggling with improvements.

Tuesday, May 10, found me slowly working up a hill… and I mean slowly!  I heard a gobbler along the hill’s side so I moved in, and set up at a reasonably good-looking site. A second tom exploded! Both birds were close, maybe too close.

Catbird

They liked the soft hen talk I was giving them when I heard the real hen working upslope towards them. Silence! Later, I heard gobbling far down slope. I believe that gobbler to be a third bird. A real hen was heard, and he went quiet, too. That’s the way hunting gobbler often works.

That was alright for I was shivering a little by this time, and elected to quit by 8:00 A.M. Some light rain had dampened my clothes. I headed off to visit my mother. We had to cancel out Mother’s Day event due to our illnesses. Our cookout was postponed. We, including Bob, were happy to see each other.

Today, May 11, found me encouraged as I moved up, and over the top. And, wouldn’t you know it. The two turkeys from yesterday, were very low. I ended up learning they were actually across a township road, and low on that side.  I learned that fact after moving down slope. I watched a hen fly off a tree. She flew right over the roosting birds. I heard a second bird fly down.

I realized it would be impossible for me to angle away, and fast enough to get above the turkeys. They left the roost. However, I would get a response far off occasionally. I worked towards the birds. I actually watched the one gobbler in the field for a time. The vegetation was much too dense to call a strutting gobbler through, but I hoped the old boy might work the field’s edge. Last year I called one in this way, but I didn’t shoot it.

Wild Geraniums

Things became quiet, and I worked across the field only to hear the gobbler on the field’s back side. (I glassed the field first!) The terrain allowed me to get across undetected. Once across I worked towards the bird again, and he seemed to become excited. He was double-gobbling! Suddenly, he went quiet. Real hen? He was close to a home. Maybe, the homeowner emerged and ruined the big bird’s mood.

I worked around,  and realized another spring issue of mine was coming to become an issue….ALLERGIES! I began sneezing; itching eyes, running nose… I quit, and went home to take pills.