Larry A. Smail's Blog

The lands of my youth!

I was able to hunt only a few hours this morning with my step-father, Bob. After a breakfast with my mother the two of us headed to an area to chase turkeys near my homestead. We drove about half-a-mile when I spotted 6-7 turkeys along a field’s edge at the base of a steep pine woodland. I didn’t stop, but continued to drive  to the top of the hill as we had planned. Bob walked along a field on the back-side of the same pines and settled in. My attack plan was to go back the road and circle towards the birds hoping for a break towards Bob’s position.

Swamp milkweed seeds waiting for wind.

I reached the field and the birds had vanished. I walked to where I had seen them and proceeded through the pines and towards the field where Bob just walked along. As I reached the top two turkeys flew out. Bob saw one! I watched one bird fly across the township road to another hill near Route 422. On no I thought,…noise again!

We set up at the site of the flush hoping more birds had been  there, but not viewed.  We failed to hear or see any turkeys, however, a buck walked below us and bedded down. I managed a few photos when the surrounding brush allowed for them.

Note antler at buck’s bedding site.

Eventually, we went across to the other hill, in case other turkeys had flushed across.  I circled down low and back upslope a deep hollow and suddenly 10-12 birds took flight. I hollered, but I didn’t run after them. (Remembering the first Saturday of turkey season and my bad fall!)

I located Bob. he saw one or two birds in the brush ahead of him. We set up for an hour and saw nothing. Upon hindsight, I believed the birds he saw were birds of the right-side of the flush. The main flock had went up and over into a field and because of the road noise the birds regrouped out of our hearing range and crossed the road again.

One of many buck rubs!

Unfortunately with the time at 12:30, we had to leave. I needed to get home, organized and play music in Kittanning by 3:00. Just below the homestead I saw a flock of turkeys while heading home. Turkeys are like that!                  

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   I became  a little disgusted when I hadn’t heard any turkeys on the roost, possibly, due to the elevated truck noise. The clear, cold skies allowed for extra volume this morning. I heard something running in the leaves as I slowly approached the listening point. I first thought the turkeys may have been down  on the ground early, but, I heard something easily known to my ears. I heard the grunt of a buck chasing his “doe.”I could hear the rustling work along the side of the hill just out of my sight.

Frosty morning doe

I started a slow tour of calling and listening until I decided, once again, to exit to a quieter woods. Since, I didn’t need to worry about Bob this day, I elected to head a mile farther south along Cherry Run. One needs to go about a mile and a half to begin finding peace from the noise.

I started the ascension up the hill and began a walk and call hunt. While walking I spotted a red fox in a field. I was seeing a lot of deer here and there too. I didn’t see many squirrels this morning. The twenty degree temperature may have kept the little critters in the nest longer.

Red Fox

I was working a flat when I thought I heard a distant cluck in response to my turkey calling. I hesitated and called again and I, once again, heard that sound. Yes, the sound was definitely a turkey!

Those beautiful hills!

I quickly set up and began working the call only to hear the turkey become more vocal. After a few minutes I could tell the bird was moving in towards the calls I was making. Five minutes elapsed when I could see a turkey here approaching me. the briars and fallen tree limbs made seeing the bird difficult at times.

Little buck

The turkey walked into range, but not offering any chance of a shot due to the problems mentioned earlier. I could see the bird for a second or two before loosing sight for a second or two.

Adult hen

The turkey worked to my left and I followed it with the shotgun when safe to move the barrel. the bird stopped and I sensed it was become slightly nervous because she couldn’t see the turkey that had been making the calls. I waited and clucked and the bird turned some allowing for a shot through an opening between two trees. The thirty-five yard shot was accurate!

Cherry Run

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Praying Mantis egg case

I was placed deep into the woods and along a ridge hoping to hear some active roost talk.  All I heard was a great-horned owl and later squirrel activity. A pileated woodpecker raised a raucous too. The woods were void of any audible turkey talk. I say audible because of the breeze and distant truck traffic on Route 422 made hearing any  far off replies to my turkey calling strained. I could hear birds a couple of hundred yards at best unless I was on the lee side of a hill.

Gray squirrel

I began a walk and call plan checking favored feeding areas from past hunts. I did see a number of deer and a load of squirrels.  However, the negative aspects alluded to a decision. I needed to see some new acreage. Bob wasn’t out today so I headed for some turkey hunting grounds near my homestead.

Need the orange powder and this Cheesy will be ready for consumpation

I checked a great area for turkey habitat first. This side of the hill produced earlier sign from a day or so. Unfortunately, this side of the hill borders Route 422 too. You can imagine the truck traffic noise. I exited this side and began a trek through some difficult vegetation on the opposite side of the hill. I find it amazing how a few hundred yards can muff the sounds so well.

At this site, I saw more deer and watched a grouse fly out and land ahead. I found no turkey sign through this area.

Wild Grapes

I worked upslope to check a field for activity. Again, I saw deer! I walked across the field to call down and over a mature pine site. My mother had seen a small flock of turkeys below these pines on Saturday afternoon. I went to the top and changed course leaving a few hundred yards of pines unchecked.

I walked about a half mile or so over and across an old reclaimed strip mine. I remembered times of my youth hunting this mine when the trees were mature and filled with squirrels. Today, the area has various tree growth, high grasses and goldenrods. I was, pleasantly surprised to flush a woodcock. Crows and ravens were active father into the strip. I wondered what had their attention.

Don’t grab it! The Devil’s Walking Stick

Eventually, I turned back towards the earlier mentioned field and pines. I was heading towards my car and home. I had some errands to do later.

I could see my car from the field’s edge when I turned to enter the pines again at an area choked with vines and briars. I heard some steps! TURKEYS I THOUGHT!

Four birds exited the back side of this steep slope. I watched them cross a township road and soar off to the same area I was at when I first arrived to this hunting spot. I hurried back to the car and crossed the road and went towards where I thought the birds may have landed.

Stink Finger Fungus

I slowly walked down around looking for a set up site. The truck traffic was loud as before. I set up along a mowed- cut through the woods and began calling loudly. I could see a house several hundred yards out. This house was along Route 422.

Suddenly, I heard a dog bark and voices from the house. I began wondering if he could hear my calling. I elected to withdraw farther from the cut. Good move! Soon a figure of a man could be seen. He saw some orange and I waved at him prior to talking. He apologized for messing up my hunt. he had seen turkeys landing, but a red fox was, also viewed. He told me he was hoping to find the fox.                                                                                                                                                                

Anyway, after all of this, I chose to head to the car and home. I was feeling rather well, as far as, pains from the Saturday fall.

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