Larry A. Smail's Blog

I had resigned myself that the 2013 fall turkey season would probably be a turkey less year. The leg issue, luckily, has been healing well. I had not hunted much at all this season!

Note remnants of an old stone fence.

The Pennsylvania bear season was over and the last few days of the fall turkey season began on Thanksgiving Day. This morning, I was entering the woods hoping to find some turkeys to hunt. I walked up along a hill and found where two turkeys had walked across a gas line yesterday. I left  their tracks and quickly moved towards an area where the birds sometimes like to roost.

The early horizon.

In minutes I could see a turkey in a tree silhouetted against the pre-morning eastern horizon. I imagined more birds were scattered nearby so I closed in for a break. This is my preferred method of hunting turkeys. Scatter them, if possible, then call one back in. One lone bird flew from the tree. After a short break to listen I elected calling to see if the turkey might answer me. Nothing happened so off I went searching, and hoping, for a flock of gobblers I had seen a couple of times in October..

I called periodically as I walked along across the ice-crystal, laden snow cover. I wondered how hard it might be to walk up on turkeys. Suddenly, I received an answer and I set up to try to call the bird in.

Turkey scratchings

I watched and called and as the yelps came closer the turkey sounds abruptly stopped. I pondered what could have happened when I saw the large dark animal move through the woodlands. I was seeing a fisher! I would see plenty of tracks as I walked along.

I circled around to close the distance where I had heard the turkey. Gobbler tracks were easily viewed. I approached the crest of a round top when the undeniable sound of nervously moving turkeys was heard just over the crest of this hill. I moved as fast as I dared and began hollering as I watched six to eight turkeys running and taking to the air. I could tell, at least, some were gobblers.

Fisher tracks

I walked through the break-up attempt zone and moved about a third of the way downslope on a steep hill-side. I called home to tell my step-father, Bob what had happened and if interested get here as quick as possible. He arrived about one and a half hours later.

  I began calling loudly using gobbler yelping. A full hour elapsed when I first saw the turkey downslope and to my right. The bird began walking up the steep hill and became lost to my view due to the terrain. However, I could hear him walking.

I spotted the gobbler and could see a beard dangling from the breast. His eyes went behind a tree allowing the Remington 870 sight to lineup. The tom walked from behind the tree and the 40 yard shot was true and a fine gobbler was down. My rule of thumb is to try to limit my range to about 35 yards, but details of the hunt wouldn’t allow any further chance due to tree tops on the ground.

The gobbler sported an eight inch beard and two 5/8 inch spurs.           

Other sightings were a handful of deer and some squirrels.

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    Those who know me can relate my love for the outdoors at this time of the year. They’ll, also, relate to my love for hunting fall turkeys. This year due to leg pain issues my hunts are few and short.                                                                     

I utilized crutches for four days recently. I had leg pain so extreme I couldn’t walk and a specialist told me that he expected I had a blood clot. he sent me to the emergency room where ultra sound and X-rays proved I had an acute led sprain. I have been taking physical therapy.

Pileated woodpecker

The therapist told me hunting and hiking would not be the best thing I could do, but he didn’t say I couldn’t just don’t over do the excursions.                                     

The third day of the fall turkey season found me hunting for a couple of hours. I did see eight turkeys in a field and later I walked into them. I hollered with an attempt for a good break but failed. I could have harvested any of 4-5 turkeys at that time, but I prefer to call them in.

The following morning, my step-father, Bob Miller and I went out for several hours. We, both heard roosting turkeys. I decided to try my luck at long-range calling instead of hurrying across the hollow for a break. The birds went off feeding. Bob, later saw 10-12 birds in a field near to the roost.

  I had a hen flush in front of me, but I failed to try for a shot. That kind of turkey hunting isn’t the way I hunt, but maybe I should have taken her due to my experiences.

Two morning later I failed to hear roosting birds. the high winds effectively lessened any chance to hear far birds. However, I walked onto a bird on the roost. I debated taking the shot, but elected to wait.

All of these hunts were only a few hours at a time at the most. This is difficult for me, but the pains dictate how much effort I can do in my pursuit of a wild turkey.                              

I have seen beautiful autumn scenery. I have seen many deer including  a number of buck. I have seen lots of gray squirrels and a few fox squirrels. I even saw a cottontail. I had the pleasure of listening to a great horned owl serenading the early minutes prior to sunrise.

I will try to hunt, again, after a few days and challenge myself for a successful hunt.

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I have been not keeping up with my journal entries very well. I feel I need to supply a brief summary of what has been happening. As you know, last Saturday I fell and injured myself trying to break up a flock of turkeys. I hurt my upper right arm and shoulder; my right hip; my left foot and ankle and,  the worse, are the aches and pinches around my left knee. I am mostly pain free with the exception of my hip and knee.

Last Sunday, I did play with three bands at the Armstrong County League of Arts at www.leagueofarts.org  and later attended a Bible study. Monday morning , despite the aggravations, I managed to be in the rainy and breezy turkey woods early. I was watching Hurricane Sandy.  The weather was predicted to produce heavier rain and higher winds, so I decided to ignore the pain and try to hunt some prior to the weather changes. I did see a lot of squirrels and deer, including some bucks, but the pains were intensifying and I became rather soaked. I decided to leave before noon. I was walking a gas line when I noticed a deer leg to my right in the crabapples. Shortly, I saw a glint of “horn”. I eased up and could see a 4-point buck. I watched him at 15 yards before he decided to lay down and chew his cud. Eventually, the winds changed and he smelled me prior to his escape. A doe on the gas line ran too.

Tuesday afternoon found me at State Game Lands 247 near Center Hill, Pennsylvania.  I saw some deer and one buck here too as I walked for about two hours before aborting the mission. On all of these excursions I have been seeing plenty of robins and other birdlife. I have, also, seen cedar waxwings and the first juncos of the season too.

Wednesday and Thursday found me resting my knee. I am,  maybe becoming smarter. (Don’t count on it!)

On Friday, Bob and I headed to Everett, Pennsylvania (Bedford County) to pick up the butchered red stags. I saw an all white hawk flying and landing in a tree while we were in transit. Lots of turkey vultures near Bedford.

Today, Bob and I entered the turkey woods. I set up to listen and call in the pre-dawn hours. As I walked along a ridge calling I heard a turkey across a big hollow. I set up hoping to call the turkey in….nothing! I went in the direction and later found smokin’ scratchings! Why I didn’t call at this point is a mystery to me.I guess I was hoping to walk in on the turks causing a breakup making for a good hunt for Bob. Ten minutes later, while walking, I saw several birds along the hill’s edge above me. I knew I had no chance to charge uphill. My asthma will not allow such exertion. I pretended I didn’t see the birds and circled coming, eventually to the top of the hill above where I had seen them. I could not locate the birds! I tamped all around even backtracking to where the scratchings were.

Look close-grouse

   I did see bucks including a fairly nice-racked buck. While walking I noticed a grouse setting on a limb among some vines. Just as I was focusing the bird flew. I did get an interesting photo as the grouse took flight.

I decided to work towards a round top. I walked into two gobblers. The big birds took flight, but no break was offered.

By noon the aches were becoming difficult in my knee and back so I elected to go home and rest some. Laurie and I were to go a friend’s birthday party, however, she hasn’t been feeling very well for the last several days. So Happy Birthday Brad!

Monday will find me out again, at least for a while!

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I was prepared for rain. All I heard was rain was going to happen! Agreed the morning was dark and gloomy. This was a far-cry from last Wednesday morning as I sat near this spot listening for turkey activity on the roost. Wednesday morning, I heard two great-horned owls, saw plenty of squirrels and six doe. The day was sunny and very warm for late October.

A gray squirrel began scolding in the pre-morning gloom. I threw a couple of sticks at it hoping to shut its mouth. I called a few times imitating an early morning scenario. Suddenly, I heard what I believed was a cluck. A few minutes later I heard a couple of more clucks and took off in the direction hoping to find the turkeys in the tress and break them up to help Bob in the hunt. Bob was stationed higher above me to listen for birds too.                                                                                                                          

As I approached the area where the clucks originated from I heard a series of yelps over the hill’s edge. I circled and heard running turkeys. I quickly ran after them seeing half a dozen taking to the air and running. Then it happened…I fell hard! I felt pain immediately knowing  some injuries were upon this aging frame. I remember saying to myself that, maybe, I am getting too old for this! I located  Bob.

We were planning to set up and I could already hear some turkey calling below us. Soon I heard the sounds of the mother hen. I hated to go down over the slope, but I told Bob I was going to try to spook the hen away. I saw her and she went away. The hunt was looking good for I could hear two young birds doing their kee-kee calls and whistles.

I reached Bob and began calling and that old hen came back doing her assembly calls and in short order the woods was silent of turkey calls. I began to walk across the hollow and circle around to locate them again, but I failed finding them.

I went back to Bob and we began going the opposite way. I saw two turkeys twice in the next hour or so. Later, as I circled again I saw another lone bird. I had a nice seven-point walk to about 15 steps and my camera was not with me for the forecast of rain told me that we should be getting wet by this time. Later, I saw other deer and another buck. Lots of squirrels were to be viewed this morning, I heard two grouse.

By noon, the pains from the early fall were taking their toll on me and I was soon to be heading home. The first day of turkey and I was done by noon. I went home and took a shower and took a pain pill before going to sleep. As I type the forecast is for rain through Thursday with some high winds due to the approach of Hurricane Sandy. A turkey-less year…maybe?                                                                                                             

I am including some photos from Wednesday!

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Not sure if Bob knows what a turkey looks like!

 I allowed Bob to wait high on the hill-top while I drifted low in anticipation with hearing turkeys. He does well at 77 years of age, but I try to be conscious of reality and be thoughtful. I heard some birds around a point on the hill and quietly moved in. NO BIRDS!  I scanned the tree tops through the foliage and zigzagged trying to find them. Nothing!                    

Cedar Waxwing & song sparrow

I went farther down slope when I heard turkeys across the hollow. I debated to attempt getting over and breaking or getting Bob first. I decided I would bring Bob down and then try to locate the birds.   

Surprisingly, After I circled around I heard a bird off in the distance, or so I thought. I actually walked about 40 yards below the tree and the birds were still on their roost well into daylight. They flushed behind me and flew towards where Bob was. he said one turkey landed behind him and ran. Bob and I headed where the turkey was last spotted and walked into, at least, three turkeys. One bird called below us but wouldn’t budge to walk up and over the hill’s crest.

    Later I kicked out more turkeys and as we were heading out of the woods we heard some yelping and set up. I spotted the turkey about 80 yards out. This turkey walked away. Maybe this woods was open enough that the bird looked and after not seeing a calling turk decided to amble off. We quit around 1:00 and Bob and I went to Elderton, Pennsylvania for lunch.

I saw about 12-13 deer sightings, including two buck. I saw squirrels and grouse too. I tried putting ticks into a bottle with peroxide this day Peroxide won’t kill them. Next time out I think I will try rubbing alcohol.                        

   The day was a beautiful autumn day.

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