Larry A. Smail's Blog

A gnawed-over shed.

I was surprised when normal gobbling time came and went and I didn’t hear any turkeys. I waited until about ten

White Trilium

after six in the morning before uttering a “stimulation” call. It worked! A hen approximately 120 yards below me answered my calls with some cutting followed with two gobbles. I quickly set up and repeated my actions and the two birds repeated their responses. All became quiet.

I knew calling a tom turkey from his hen would be next to impossible, but what other choice does a turkey hunter have?  I heard a second gobbler far off presumably within posted lands. He wasn’t very enthused with the morning either. After a spell of silence I began to walk in the second bird’s direction. I hoped to work him from the posted signs. However, the gobbler below me opened up on his own. I resettled down and began cutting and the turkey went crazy with triple gobbling.

Trout Lily

Just when I was feeling just maybe something unique might happen the hen began calling again. A second hen did some chirping and the last gobble I heard was

Rue Anemone

down over the hill. I went after the second gobbler only to peer out a gas line into the posted property to see a set of eyes returning the glare. I had called before going up and over this ridgeline and received no answer. I hate when that happens. I crossed the road and went up over the next hill. A coyote opened up with barks, yips and howls for ten minutes. The dog was close, but I never saw the ‘yote.

No beard on this bird.

This morning I was back up the hill listening. I heard a distance gobbler and began to move towards him when a second tom exploded about 120 yards or so from me. I had to set and work this bird. A hen began yelping near the gobbler . A second hen later clucked. I tried to fire up the hen to have the gobbler follow. I saw her fly down and called her right into my lap, so to speak. She carried on and circled me before I purposely chased her off.

The first gobbler gobbled a couple of times and I went after him crossing a hollow and climbing the opposite hill. I called and was answered. I moved in and set up. the bird seemed interested gobbling occasionally at my calls and sometimes on his on. I moved again. I eased towards a gas line road where a grassy area was kept mowed. The bird was in this area. I called and he was closer. I had to set up immediately.

The set up site had some issues. Multiflora Rose was leafed out and between the gobbler and I was a patch of the thick briars. I had to play the dealt cards. Soon the gobbler was within range but out of site due to the brambles.  However, an opening was directly in front of me and if the bird moved a little I may be able to see him clear. A second issue soon became apparent.  There is a shallow sway along this gas line road.

Hickory Nut

I was cold and aching for almost a two hour set, so I became aggressive with some cutting. Suddenly, a hen answered along with the gobbler. Now I knew why he wasn’t coming directly in to my attempts. He had a girlfriend. The hen seemed angry with my cuts and started towards me. remember these birds were within range but hid. She was coming. I began to level my gun and out of nowhere she came up out of that sway. She was about twenty yards away. Immediately I saw the gobbler’s fanned tail. He would strut and look. I couldn’t see if he had a beard although I was certain he would be carrying a brush. I couldn’t see his beard because of the terrain. The hen was on me in seconds. I was caught in a bad way. She was eight yards away or so.

Red Squirrel

So, I have a hen very close and a gobbler that suddenly walked up over the sway and was somewhere between 12 and fifteen yards staring right at me. I could now see a nice thick beard but I could not move. The big bird was getting nervous and a few seconds later it was all over.  Close but no done deal! I don’t shoot at running or flying turkeys so he’ll be around for another day.