Larry A. Smail's Blog

Weird-looking tree

I decided to not hunt much last week. The week began with one of those rare asthma related coughing and chocking bouts I sometimes have.  I pulled off onto a township road when this hit. The bouts don’t last long, but the sure “knock the sap” out of me. Lack of air while breathing , also occurs. I tried to hunt but felt tired and quit early. Fatigue is a usual symptom of the coughing spells. The following morning the allergies began to plague me. I hate to cough or sneeze while I am trying to hunt gobblers. Tuesday I was out a few hours and transplanted wildflowers to a friend’s property, while Wednesday I had quit hunting around 8eight o’clock. So, most of the week found me absent from the hunts.

Bear sign

However, today I was in the woods early. The woodlands were foggy in the early morning.The humidity and dew

Dogwood blossom

point was high and the temperature getting hot. I stayed out until about 12:30 when I heard some thunder way off.

I did not hear any gobblers this day. I had a hen answer my calls early while she was on the roost. I imagined a gobbler would be near, but he never gobbled if he was present. I began a walk and call tour most of the morning except for fifteen minutes of sleep at a tree’s base. Later I saw a hen in a field.

I came upon some bear dung. Upon looking closer I counted twenty piles of the darkened matter in close proximity. I check around some fallen logs to see if I could see sign of a bear lodging site.

Throughout my time in the woods the fragrances of Honeysuckle and Autumn Olive blossoms permeated my nostrils. They are pleasing scents.

I saw a number of deer and squirrels. I found a baby Snapping Turtle. I should have taken a few photos but the sky  was getting very dark.