I was almost to the top of the steep hill when I first heard the yelps. I wasn’t all that far with an estimated hundred to hundred and thirty yards distance. I yelped back before moving on to set up on the top. Soon I heard what I had hoped to hear and that was a booming gobble. I immediately gobbled back using my own abilities. He answered.
I completed setting up before calling more. The tom was answering my calls and was definitely interested. The timing wasn’t too long before I saw the black color ghosting through the trees searching for the source of his interest…ME!
In moments the bird closed in to within range and the shot boomed across the valley. I had a gobbler.
HOWARD MEYERS
The title mentions a tribute. earlier this day I found out about the passing of a dear friend, Howard Meyers. Howard and I go way back to sometime in the early seventies…I am guessing around 1974. The deal at the time was for volunteers to plant various trees on reclaimed strip jobs near Crooked Creek Park. We were to, also, erect two turkey feeders along Cherry Run which is a tributary to Crooked Creek. Here I met Howard. We immediately were friends.
Howard was a Pennsylvania Deputy Game Warden before moving to Greensburg, Pennsylvania. from his home, Howard and I tried to get in some spring gobbler hunting and fall turkey hunting in the Cherry Run areas. the one fine memory I have is a time we doubled with fall jakes.
Howard and I were both active in the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. We attended many meetings during our “heyday” years.
Howard and I kept in touch after our federation days. He had moved to Clearfield, Pennsylvania so we didn’t see each other often, but we talked on the phone.
So, old buddy, rest in peace.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
Leave a Reply