Larry A. Smail's Blog

Thursday had me feeling very fatigued and a little dizzy. This morning, however, I felt good and headed out for some  gobbler hunting.

I climbed a hill and listened and called for an hour and a half. I worked on a future Bible study idea while setting on a log. At 7:30 I was setting in the jeep with the heater running. I became chilled. (Don’t tell anybody, but I actually dozed off in the jeep.)  I resumed hunting at 8:15 walking quietly and calling occasionally.

I was circling low along a hill when I saw the Barred Owl setting and watching me. Blue jays were tormenting the owl. I managed to take about eight shots with the camera before the bird flew away. I always enjoy seeing owls of any species.

I continued circling until the point was reached. here I walked diagonally until I was almost to the top. I called and heard nothing. I gobbled and was cut off by a thunderous gobble a hundred yards or so ahead of me. I set up to wit his next move. Fifteen minutes later I gobbled and , once again, gobbled. This time he was a little farther away. I circled below and tried to entice him with some sweet and lusty hen talk. He was done. I could set down and wait or search for another gobbler. (Later, as I drove along the road I saw another gobbler in yards heading uphill directly where I was walking.)   

Happy slugs

I slowly walked to another hill calling and listening to no avail.  At 11:30 while circling back towards the jeep my calling was interrupted by a hen. She was yelping, cutting, purring and clucking. I set up hoping to call her in to me with a gobbler in tow. She came in and I managed approximately twenty photos of her.

After I left the area I spotted eight hens and jakes going into a woods about a mile south of where I was hunting.