Larry A. Smail's Blog

    The wait proved fruitless for gobbling activity until I heard a turkey clear across the hollow. I circled and set up and he answered. Oh Boy I thought then a silence I couldn’t explain. Later I learned the following. I called my mom to see if Bob was hunting . He wasn’t but he came out immediately when I said the gobbler was at the spot he spends a lot of time at. I didn’t know this until later. A heavy fog covered the area until after 8:00.

Bob walked up and saw a turkey at the field. The bird saw him too! After 8:00 I heard two gobbles across the hollow where I had come from. (no surprise here) I trekked back across and heard nothing until a helicopter flew nearby. the bird shocked gobbled and was only 150 yards or less from me. My calls and patience did not produce another gobble.

Heavy A.M. fog

   I worked back across and saw Bob’s car. Later, as I approached Bob’s big tree, I could see a gobbler in the field where he had gobbled earlier. I searched for Bob came back to the tree and could see the bird laying in the high grass. I searched more and realized h, like Elvis,e had left the building. Later the bird was gone. Bob told me he had seen 4 turkeys in that field at one point of time.

     The woods became very warm as the noon hour occurred. I left the woods at 1:15.

While sleeping by a pine tree I was awakened by toe on bark noises. A red squirrel was directly behind me and actually jumped upon my head. I couldn’t hold the laughter in!

Box turtle

   I saw a red fox; squirrels; several deer, including one inquisitive doe and one gobbler. I, also, found a box turtle.                                              

Swallowtail pals!

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I purchased a pair (makes sense since I have two feet) of regular farmer boots. They are not as comfortable as normal hunting-style boots, but my feet stayed dry today!

Chipping sparrow

  I climbed a hill in the dark and just as I reached the plateau to listen, I bumped into three deer… snorting deer!!! These deer snorted at me for close to ten minutes. I heard a distant gobble and instinctively went towards the direction I believed the sound came from. Moments later I knew I was correct, unfortunately the big bird was several hundred yards into posted land. I worked through adjacent land when loud alarm putts were heard directly overhead. I could easily see the form of a turkey silhouetted against the lightening sky. The bird flew out and I couldn’t see any distinct beard.

I settled in to lure the gobbler to me when clucks and yelps occurred approximately 35 yards behind me. Another turkey! A gobble exploded below me where the previous bird had flown from. I suspected a jake by the sound. (A jake is a gobbler hatched the previous spring.)

Fungus on aspen

  Shortly, a called in a gobbler. I could easily see the gobbler’s head and black colors. The tom walked to 17 steps from and I could see a short beard on it’s breast. I jumped up to scare this bird away. I didn’t want him to interfere with any approaching adult bird. He flew 20 yards or so and continued puttin’ at me. He circled and the other bird, a jake, flew down too. The big gobbler became silent.

As time went on, a  few more jake gobbles, I began thinking about taking a jake. the weatherman was saying another low pressure system is coming and I have some commitments that will take me from the woods earlier next week.

I called more and a jake appeared about 12 steps from me. I didn’t shoot. the bird stayed around a few moments and flew into the tree behind me. the other jake walked by farther out and gobbled some and eventually all was silent.

Bear sign

   I began a tour and call method without success. I crossed the road and spotted a gobbler in the field. He was alone and not interested in hens at all. The tour continued.

I talked with my friend Kip Feroce. He wished I would come to a specific place to try for a gobbler he knew about from the day before. I decided to leave and meet him. I reached the Brick Church community and saw the signs of bridge closure. ( I was a sign foreman for PennDOT so these signs were very familiar.) I called him and cancelled. The time to get to Kip now would be increased by 35 minutes or so. I went back to my original area. Kip late called and said he couldn’t locate the gobbler this day.

I failed to hear or locate any gobblers either. I left at 1:15 since Laurie and I had plans for later this evening. I would need a rest.

I saw two red fox kits; a woodcock; some squirrels; five deer;  a pileated woodpecker; heard a ring neck rooster crowing;  kingbird; mockingbird and a host of many other birds. Overall the day was great. We even had a few times of sunshine.

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My old Lynch Box Call

  Another call of mine is the famous Lynch Box call. My dad bought me this call prior to my coming of hunting age. I wanted it for Christmas!

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Beautiful country!

  It is a conspiracy I tell you! I went to a different area to check for gobblers this morning. I needed to see some favorite sites again. I heard one gobbler clean across a big hollow and one behind me in posted land. I did see one gobbler far off on reclaimed land. But, let me get back to the conspiracy.

I began walking along when I heard “hello”. I looked back and a woman I know was following me. She said she told her husband someone was walking over on the ridge and came to check out who it is. We talked about ten minutes and we went in different directions. I couldn’t squeeze a gobble out the hills and I decided to head back to my other haunts.

A hint of sun

  I walked up hill and found a pile of hen feathers. A neighbors plane began to circle and circle and circle. He must be getting hours on his plane because he circled for over 1 1/2 hours! The runway is on the next hill. A crew was working along the road at a gas line. They, too were making noise. As I approached the wood lot where a gobbler often hangs out I could hear my farmer friend working his tractor in the fields. I imagined all these people getting together planning these events to hinder my hunting progress. (Just kiddin’) I sat down, called periodically and actually fell asleep for a time.

YUMMY!

   At 10:30, I arose and spotted something I have seen every day this spring while hunting turkeys..morels! I abandoned turkey hunting and spent much time walking about, searching out these delicious mushrooms. I gathered a nice mess to eat. I continued casually looking as I headed back towards the vehicle. At 11;20 I called and was immediately answered by a gobbler. I hastily set up and began trying to coax him up the hill to me. However,there were some nasty green briars to my left. Since the hunt is over at noon I had little time to manuever so I tried my luck at this site. The gobbler came to about 100-125 yards of me and wouldn’t budge another inch by noon. I crept away silently knowing if I would have had more time I could have taken this gobbler.

     My travels covered some beautiful Pennsylvania countryside. We are blessed with Pennsylvania beauty, we all need to just look at it! I found a box turtle shell today. I wondered what caused the turtle’s demise. I heard a woodcock doing its mating flight. I saw some squirrels, a rabbit and a few deer too. I, also, saw my first Baltimore Oriole of the spring today and a Yellow-Breasted Chat. The sounds this fellow make are truly amazing!

Yellow-breasted Chat

  I came home and mowed the grass. Yesterday evening I took my first bike ride of the season. I am slightly sore today because of that ride. This evening, I plan to paint some and rest some more. Afterall I am getting older! Tomorrow is another day in the turkey woods.

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Early sunshine

   My step father, Bob went  to the top of the hill via a gas well road this morning. Amazingly, two gobblers were roosted very close to his location. he walked by very close and his car lights would have been seen by the toms. Still, at 5:30 A.M. the two sounded off. Bob, wasn’t sure about their location. He thought they may be across a hollow. he was wrong and walked to them spooking them.

       I located him around 7:00 and he filled me in as to what happened. I suggested we go back and see if they begin to gobble. At 7:40 a lone gobbler began to sing! We moved in the direction and I was disappointed to locate the gobbling bird across the hollow and township road. If I would have been alone I would have circled the bird on the same side.  Bob, at 76, isn’t up to that kind of rapid movement. I elected to attempt calling him across. Silence soon became the norm. I assumed his buddy located him and they became quiet. After 10:00 I tried to shake them up but all was quiet on the western front.

    I spooked a quiet gobbler in the morning. I had heard two very muffled gobbles and tried to move in tight to where I thought the turkey might be. He was still in the tree at 6:30.

I saw squirrels, about 10 deer and a rose-breasted grosbeak  and red-eyed vireo. (Both firsts for the year)I left a rather warm woods close to noon.      

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

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     I had a full agenda this day so my gobbler chasing was to be much shorter than what I would have liked. I would need to be leaving the woods no later than 8:30 A.M. in order to go home, clean up and go to Clarion County, Pennsylvania to play some gospel music. These plans would force me to hunt closer to my home. A local state game lands provided the place to go.

    I had walked across frosty grass areas to wait and listen for turkey chatter. I wasn’t disappointed. A ‘coon began scolding something and gobbles erupted. The time was 5:22! i moved in on them for a set up and crept in dangerously close. In fact once the sky lit up the woods I could see a gobbler about 120 yards away.  Three toms gobbled regularly and a fourth one began calling off in the distance and would soon walk in.

Later hen talk could be heard and I watched the gobbler fly down. The woods became silent which is the norm when hens are with the old boys. I mustered out a few more gobbles and the silence was dominant.

      I walked away from this site to explore my options remember I needed to watch the time. While walking and planning I discovered some fresh bear sign and saw a rabbit and squirrel. Suddenly, I saw a red fox with puppies. I placed my shotgun on the ground and readied my camera. What a joy to watch these four little puppies romp and play. I managed a few photos.

I circled around and walked back up onto the top of this game land hill into areas where the Pennsylvania Game Commission had planted food plots and hedgerows. these hedgerows are primarily multiflora rose and autumn olive..thick stuff! I called and a hen started to putt angrily to me. Suddenly, I could see turkeys moving about on the other side of this brush.

    I saw jakes (yearling gobblers) and some long bearded birds, but I never counted accurately because I would see a bird and lose sight and the birds were circling around peering at my direction at about 20-25 yards! The trouble being I could occasionally see beards but briefly and with the confusion of randomly circling turkeys I would loose sight as to which bird had the longest beard.

Later, I crawled out to peak down the food plot and I could see, at least 6 jakes and one long beard gobbler. they continued moving away and I went home to continue on with my plans. I will not be getting home until after 11:00 P.M. this evening so I may come back here to this site to hunt.   

 (Forgot to mention earlier in the blog. I think I might have a secret admirer. Someone placed a lilac blossom on my windshield this morning. Could the initials be V.M.?)

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Scarlet Tanager

  Frost on the pipes this morning made for a potentially treacherous stream crossing. I shuffled along very carefully. Bob drove around to the other side of the hill. He is smarter than I. (rarely)

I set up to listen and was disappointed that this would be the third morning a gobbler wasn’t heard on the roost. The morning was clear, followed by some cloud cover and opening back up for some sunshine around 8:30. I circled around to see Bob. He said he had heard one solitary gobble across the field. I told him I would, probably, be going to another area after circling the hill, calling and listening. While we were discussing options I noticed a red fox with some food dangling from its mouth. I didn’t get a photo. Bob had to leave early today due to a committment.

Beautiful Pennsylvania!

  I followed through with my plan and began the long trek to my destination. I sat down and began taking photos of warblers when around 9:30 I believed I heard a distant, muffled gobble. Later I did confirm, but the windy conditions made direction and distance very difficult to determine. When did the winds start?

I played around with this turkey for about 1 1/2 hours before his silence seemed permanent. He only gobbled about 10 times in all. I am not sure what had happened. I have theories! 

Green Heron

   I chased out another turkey while heading back to my vehicle. I had seen a lot of deer today and a few squirrels too. Upon returning home, I had my springer, Suzie out and was surprised to see a green heron along my backyard creek.

My girl!

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When is the weather going to become like May? Bob and I were rained on today. I guess that is to be expected. We sat from 5:30 to 6:40 and never heard a “peep” of a turkey. I was surprised, but that is why this thing we do is called hunting and not getting. You can never know what a turkey will do.

Dogwood blossoms

  Despite the gloomy morning, I was pleased to see the beautiful dogwoods continuing with their annual flowering. This same area in the fall is loaded with red berries and wildlife eating them.

We began a tour around the area calling and listening. Eventually, I heard what I believed to be gobble deep in a hollow. Unfortunately, by this time, we were near U.S. 422. the highway supplied too much noise. However, I heard some sharp alarm putts and close. I counteracted with alarm putts and shortly a hen came into view. She had seen Bob move and began “cursing” the unidentified movement. I calmed her down and played around with her for about thirty minutes before she circled around me.

    I decided we should check out another area where I had seen the gobbler yesterday. I dropped Bob off at his car. He talked me out of going instead to return home and torment mom for a while. When I checked the time at 10:00 I decided to take up his offer.

Goose family

  I saw some deer too. I, also, saw a  warbler of an unknown specie and a pair of geese with goslings. The warbler photo is not of best quailty. Any one know the specie? Many  warblers are the birds I have least knowledge. One sees them so little to learn.                             

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