Larry A. Smail's Blog

This fall turkey season has been interrupted by a number of issues here at home. These issues had caused  me to miss time afield. The first day of the turkey season, October 29, found me waiting at the house for my car mechanic to stop in to look at my lawn tractor. He arrived around noon and I left for a few hours of hunting close to two in the afternoon. The weather was warm and I found out later that evening the highs reached to the mid-seventies! No wonder I was sweating so much.

Turkey Vulture

The following Monday, my step father and I hunted all morning. Around ten in the morning I walked   around a bend and saw turkey heads out front. I moved as quickly as I could and the turkeys busted into a fan shaped escape. Bob and I sat for two hours and never saw a bird return. We did hear one way over the hill. I would later walk through the area trying to find the birds. No luck!

Tuesday, November 1, My cousin, Donnie, Bob and I searched for a few hours at another area. We failed to hear any birds on the roost and, also, failed to see any while walking. Actually the morning proved to be a “pick on Bob’ day. I had to be home early this day for a lawn mower specialist was to come and look the mower over. (Unfortunately, a pump in the transmission was ruled to be the culprit. I am taking donations for a new one.)                                                    

This morning, November 2 found me at a listening point. I heard a little turkey talk down over. I moved toward the area of the light yelps. In a short time, I located the sound. I was about fifty yards from the turkey, however, I began wondering about this hunt. Could those sounds have been from a hunter? I only heard one turkey. Usually, the birds of the flock all sounding off while on the roost. I decided to take some caution just in case.

  I set up and called a little. I heard one bird fly down. I waited and never saw or heard any turkeys. I wondered if the bird may have seen my movements while setting up. Remember, the turkey was rather close.                                         

Eventually, I began to formulate a plan. I eased up over the hill and worked around behind where I had heard the bird. I was trying to see a flock of birds if that was an option. I made a big circle around the area only to have a bird answer my call about three hundred yards from where the turkey was initially. I set up to call.

A few minutes had elapsed when I saw the turkey coming in the distance.  The shot was twenty-nine yards. The shot became reality at 8:40!