Larry A. Smail's Blog

I waded the high grass of the reclaimed strip and right-of-way and was rather soaked before I had even set down in the woods. Some of the grasses on the right-of-way were actually as tall as I am! I eased into the woods where the gobbler sounded off yesterday. To my surprise at 4 minutes after five a gobbler erupted the pre-dawn woods in the wood lot where I was set up yesterday.  Turkeys!! Never figure ’em out! 

I was in a rather dangerous position. I elected to sneak around and re-cross the right-of-way in hopes of not being detected. I seriously doubted the birds would go through that tall grass. This maneuver worked! I crept in and set up with a huge oak to my back. I had a dream set up position. The turkey was ahead of me in an open wood lot. A high soaking grass area to my right and a low grass-covered farm lane to my left spoke of a great advantage. There was a slight saddle ridge in front of me and the morning sky illuminated the horizon line. This meant any movement would be magnified.  

A second tom exploded. I was close. The time slowly edged along until one tom flew down over the bank. In short order I watched the second tom fly down and towards me.  Things were looking good!  

The close tom started gobbling and moving. I held the shotgun in a ready position when I noticed a gobbled to my right. The closer gobbler moved up towards  him. The amazing thing of interest as to how the bigger bird actually stopped exactly in front of my sight.  The shot was at 26 yards.  

Spurs of 1 1/16 inches

The gobbler sported a ten 1/4 inch beard and 1 1/16 inch spurs. He weighed in at 22 pounds.  

Other sightings of the day included one deer and two red fox puppies. The pups were near my old homestead.

I discarded the inedible turkey parts in the woods. This has been my custom. I believe the feathers will go for nesting materials and the remains will return back to the earth either through consumption by other wildlife or the natural processes. I continued up over the hill to try for another gobbler with my second tag.  I reached the top and scanned the beautiful Cherry Run hollow to wait for dawn. I could hear the usual warblers beginning to sing and chirp happily. I could hear a whip-or-will ending his nocturnal calls.

A gobbler sounded off and I rapidly approached his roost and set up for calling. I heard a hen doing some soft tree yelps near to the bird. I wondered what all of this might mean for the next hour of hunting.  I heard something moving at my right. I turned to see two ‘coons closing in. I had to stand up before the two would run off. I got back to listening and calling.

 Amazingly, the big bird slowly began approaching my calling site. At one time, I actually placed my finger on the safe believing the deal was about to be completed.

However, the turkey worked around to enter a field’s edge. I could see him, but he was out of range. The turkey’s desires waned and by 7:00 he became silent after walking through the field. I had heard two other gobblers off in the distance.  I made a short tour of the area. I heard one hen and later saw another tom in a field being harassed by a blackbird. The turkey, apparently, had wandered close to the blackbird’s nest.

I walked into the area where I had heard the yelping, and watched a hen fly down the hollow. I was getting very warm (at 8:30)  and decided to call the hunt off, dig some ferns and head home . Afterall, I had work to do.

I could see where someone had driven along the field very early and was saddened to find a box turtle that had been run over. Always a sad thing. Turtles don’t have much of a chance in today’s world of roads and vehicles.

Other sightings included both grey and fox squirrels.

I took some photos of this old truck that has been resting in these woods all of my life. I expect it is from the 1940 era. I guess the vehicle could be from the very early 1950 time frame. Anyone know?

I tried, once again, to locate a gobbler at my favorite area. Nothing! I was blessed to play around with two buck. One buck had an impressive rack going. I could see six points and the height was about 3 inches over his ear. The other buck had four points. I took some photos, but , the low light and hand holding of the camera caused blurred photos.

I decided to try another area once again. I was walking up an old logging road when I heard a gobble across Cherry Run and way down the hollow. Of course, I went after it. Eventually, I located above the bird. I settled in afraid to go any closer due to an open woods. I called and the gobbling began again and went quiet.

I waited and called again and two gobbles exploded the woods. I waited and the next gobble was closer. I called and received an answer. I shut up and resisted the temptation to call again.

Time crept forward and I believed he was sneaking in on me. Suddenly, to my left and CLOSE I heard him gobble. One of those close gobbles that  you make jump internally. I could see his head through some low multiflora roses. I couldn’t see his beard. The turkey was about 18 yards away. He was the dominant bird.

Another gobbler appeared  and I could readily see his beard. I feared this bird would see me soon and give an alarm putt. The shot was 22 yards and , at least,  five turkeys exploded into the air.

The turkey, I harvested was a two-year old tom with 7/8 inch spurs and a 9  7/8 inch beard.  Needless to say I was happy since I had been out, at least a couple of hours,  every morning since the gobbler opener.                                                         

    (Ferocious Calls– Full Choke box call)

I arrived very early and sat down hoping to hear a gobbler. No luck! A deer snorted at me in the darkness. It, probably, smelled my banana.

A began a tour of the area and failed to muster and gobbling. However, I visited the hen and she was still on her nest. I hope she has a successful hatch.

The contractor was to arrive this morning for a final amount of work. I decided to visit another place and give it a try. I was walking and calling when suddenly two gobblers appeared to my calling. They saw me and exited back into the woods. I couldn’t see their beards due to high grass. I believed they were, probably, jakes.

At one point, I could hear something coming and was shocked when a Rottweiler and pit bull appeared and began barking at me. When they began approaching me I hollered and they stopped their approach, but didn’t leave me alone. I walked out watching them closely. I stayed out until 11:15 when the heat was draining me.

I decided to go out and chance the rain this morning. I gave Susie her insulin shot and arrived to the woods at 7:30. The rain started again shortly after I began my trek into the woods. At 9:00 I was soaked and went home to check on the contractor driveway work.  They were to cut expansion joints into the concrete.

I saw a couple of deer and squirrels. I heard a grouse drumming and found a box turtle.

I told myself there would be three things I knew would happen this morning. One was a prediction that no birds would be around me today. Another thought was that I would not go across the creek after that bird today! The last one was , if I went after a far off bird he would be done gobbling when I arrived.

No gobbling at the usual site. One prediction down. This is only the second time no gobbling was present. I did hear the same bird across the  creek again. The second one was a failure for after the turkey continued gobbling at 6:15, I made a dash to get in his area.  Number two failed for I did what I said I wouldn’t do!

When I arrived in the area where the bird was gobbling I was greeted with silence.. Two out of three!!! I am beginning to lose confidence with myself. ( I may need to hang on to some of the feathers I find in the woods like the one in the photo.) The next couple of hunting days may need to be postponed due to the shots of insulin for Susie. Laurie should be back on Monday. I may get out later in the day. Next week looks very warm with highs in the 80 degree range.

I left the woods by 7:15 since the driveway contractor would be home to do the cement work.

Susie got past a barrier in my garage today and wandered out across the newly poured cement! Luckily for me the workers fixed  the paw prints before the cement set.

Other sightings of the day were one deer and one squirrel. Also, I found a deer antler shed today.

Bob and I set up very early with high hopes that the old gobbler would be roosting in the same area. We were disappointed when he failed to gobble. In fact, this would be the first time in almost three weeks a gobbler didn’t greet the morning. However, I heard one across the road and Cherry Run Creek. He was done gobbling prior to six o’clock.

I discussed the situation with Bob and he said he wasn’t going to stay out long. Bob is in the completion stages of having his 1954 Chevy completely refurbished. (The car is looking good!)

I went over and mustered one shock gobbler  from very far away. That was it.

I hurried to another area since I had to quit early for the driveway contractor. I called and was immediately cut off with such a racket from a hen…. a mother hen with poults. I saw 3-4 little ones about the size of my fist. I continued using kee kee whistles and she went bonkers. The interesting fact is she had a beard. (Legal in Pennsylvania)

                                                                                           (A bearded hen.)

Other sightings of the morn included: approximately 12 deer; lots of grey squirrels; a fox squirrel and bear tracks again.

When I arrived home the driveway work had begun. Hopefully, tomorrow the bulk will be completed. 

 (Note the hen turkey & deer tracks with the front foot track of the bear.)

I waited for the gobbler that I had heard the last two mornings. At 5:35, I heard a gobbler across the hollow where I had been the previous two mornings. I hurried to a pre-determined site and very quietly set up. I was about 50 to 60 yards from his roosting site. After I had set up a tom exploded his presence where I had just came from…. turkeys!

At  fly down the gobbler flew across a small gully and landed on the opposite bench. He was silent. I waited a short time and clucked and purred and he answered one time to my extreme left. The gobbler had went across the right-of-way I had hoped he would have flown down to, but, he was 80 yards above me. I adjusted my position and never heard from him again. He was above me on a steep bench and a small stream between us. I hope he didn’t see me.

The driveway contractor told me he was going to start today on my driveway. With that in mind I quit the hunt at 7:00. I gobbled three times and the one across the hollow shocked gobble to me. I found it tough to leave the woods.

The contractor didn’t show up at the house until around 3:15. I didn’t see him, but, a load of material was dumped on the drive. I guess they will be here tomorrow to begin their work. I am planning on going hunting for a while anyway. My step father, Bob is going to go out hunting too. We have a set up plan. Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if, tomorrow, that gobbler was somewhere far off in a distant land courting the hens with his beautiful music!

BOY…How I love getting soaked!  (In case you are not aware of it, those words are sarcasm!) When I reached the car this morning at around 11:30 I was wet from head to toe. No more Gore-Tex for me. Those boots are not even  a year old and my feet were soaked! I have had enough of these purchases to realize that they are a waste of good money!

The morning was interesting. I heard a couple of gobblers and, yes they were on the opposite hill side again. Later on, I eased up the hill behind me to a field. Here I saw a longbeard and two hens. (At one point, the  gobbler was about 60 yards from me before he followed the hens away.) I could see another hen in the field as well. I circled the lower edge of the field and walked onto a hen preening itself. I was about 40 yards away and she was so busy I stood and watched her. I, also, saw 3 deer here and a fourth while walking out.

I drove a couple of miles away and checked another woods with no luck. The rain increased and the winds started up and hearing was non-existent. A gobbler that was 150 yards away would not be able to hear me…or me hear him!  As, I loudly called a nice buck jumped up. He had a velvet rack of, approximately, six inches with a “Y” forming on each antler. This deer will be a nice buck come the end of summer.

Other sightings include 2 squirrels and an Indigo Bunting. (I failed to write that I had seen my first  buntings last week.)

I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in the woods long today. I had an appointment with a fellow for driveway work; had to take a mower for repairs and, mostly, I needed to get a tire repaired on my vehicle. At 3:45 this morning, I was putting air in my tire. It was flat! (Later found out that I picked up a nail.)

I made a perch where I had seen the turkeys on Saturday morning. In the lightening woods I noticed my deer friend again. She didn’t see me this time. I heard three gobblers across the road and nothing on my side. The gobbling was sparce and few. I, later, saw two turkeys in a pasture field and bumped one off the ridgeline while exiting the woods. I was done hunting at 7:30 for the reasons mentioned above. The day soon became a rainy one.

From a turkey hunting view, I don’t believe I will get much in this week. The contractor hopes to start on the drive on Wednesday. When the initial plans were made, he spoke of June for the beginning of the work. Also, Laurie and my mother-in-law are headed for a visit of my wife’s aunt on Thursday. They  are, also, going to Statten Island by bus. My mother-in-law was raised  there and hasn’t been back since 1980. I will need to be around in the morning for Susie’s insulin shots unless the vet says an earlier shot would be possible without harm.

(Susie in the back yard with much better eyesight.)