The temperatures were cool enough for an early morning hike. I, also, wanted to fish. What to do? I elected to hike since I haven’t been walking much over the last month.
Bee-Balm
I parked outside of the game commission gate on State Game Lands 105 to begin the trek. I didn’t walk far when I spotted a turkey hen squatting low on a commission road. My first thought was she was dusting herself. However, I immediately realized the turkey was not kicking the dust around…must be poults! 
I walked closer until the hen stood up announcing to the world with her alarm putts an intruder was present. Ten to twelve little down-covered poults began moving towards grassy cover.
Hen with her little poults!
This date of July 2nd is late for poults this small. Seeing these little poults was amazing. The hen must have lost her first hatch to predators. Turkeys will hatch a second attempt if the first “flock” becomes lost to predation, or the elements. These little birds looked to be a day or two old.
Flock of gobblers
I would walk into another hen later on. I couldn’t see her young due to dense vegetation.
I saw some deer during my time afield. One buck, already, sported a nice rack with more days for growth. I saw one doe with her fawn. I, also, saw a flock of gobblers.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
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