Larry A. Smail's Blog

This proved to be one of those mornings when the events of nature truly blessed me. I quietly moved against a tree to await whatever the morning would show.  The time was 5;20 A.M. as I glanced about at the trees. I noticed a dark mass about 35 yards from me. I believed immediately I was seeing a turkey.

As the grays of pre-dawn started to become more defined I noticed a tail and occasionally watched it sway as a counter balance. Did the bird know of my presence or was my approach quiet enough to settle in without detection? A few times as the bird swayed on the roost it would puff its feathers up a little. Gobbler?

One of two sheds I found today.

Gil-obble-obble-obble! Yep, the turkey was a gobbler! I continued watching the bird as it occasionally puffed up as if to a semi-strut. The gobbling increased with gusto. A second bird gobbled behind me. I assumed this was a young gobbler. Fifteen minutes later, the turkey stood up on the limb, gobbled and tried to strut while maintaining balance. At this time, I noticed the four central tail feathers being longer than the rest of the tail. The bird was a jake. (A jake is a gobbler hatched last year.)

   He turned around and sailed to the ground directly to my left at about 25 yards. The turkey began to strut around. What a site! he worked up and over the hill and in a moment he was out of site. This would have been an easy shot! I elected to not try to get a photo because of the darkness of the time at 6:05 A.M. and I wanted to observe the turkey.

I now hurriedly exited across the hollow to try to intercept the two gobblers I had been hearing too. I failed to make it in time and silence became the sound to hear. Apparently, they became “henned up.”                                                                                                         

Gordy Olsen’s Locator

I saw six deer, some squirrels and a grouse too. I quit at 9:00 in order to stop at cousin Donnie’s home. He need my help in removing fish and old leaves as he drained his decorative pool. I transported two bull frogs and a red-spotted newt to my home. Hope they enjoy the new home!

Pennsylvania in spring

Bob and I exchanged our plans and off we went towards our listening posts. I arrived to the top of the hill and settled in for turkey talk. The first gobble was at 5:39 A.M. and across the road below where Bob was stationed. A second bird began gobbling behind me and on the side of the hill facing Bob’s location. I decided to not pursue him and, maybe, something positive would happen for Bob’s benefit.                                                                                    

A third gobbler opened up across the hollow from my site.  I waited a bit to make sure no other birds started gobbling on my side before dropping down the hill and across the creek. I set on a diagonal course towards the gobbling bird. I eventually reached his level and hesitated going any higher on the hill’s side for fear of becoming known. The open woods with a gobbler perched high in a tree may easily be a situation for him to spot my movement especially since I may become high lighted with the eastern sky becoming bright. This decision would prove to be wrong!                                                       

I began calling some and the old boy had my position pinpointed. Now, I had time to study the site. He just might come straight across at my level. The other option presented allowed for him to walk up and enter onto a mowed section of woods bordering a Christmas tree planning area. I knew this would be the most likely scenario, but I feared the above mentioned issues enough to set about thirty yards below. That cut stretch was flat land bordering the slope I was on. The slope was about 40 degrees.

A.J. Cassette slate and striker

Silence was heard before another gobble erupted. He was off the roost and working towards the cut area. Should I chance moving? In moments the gobbler was above me and within shotgun range. The gobbler was strutting back and forth and gobbling like crazy! I followed the sounds with the pointed shotgun, but could not get a shot. I could see rose brambles being shaken by the gobbler. Oh, I wish I would have moved up slope more now!

Double action fighting purr call of A.J. Cassette

After a while the gobbler went silent. Later I crept to the mowed area and could easily see why the bird wouldn’t come down over to me. From his vantage point the brush was way too intense to move through especially when he expected the hen to go to his gobbling. I could have made the flat and not be viewed by the perched gobbler. Now I know! Later, I saw him and a hen feeding on a gas well opening. He gobbled twice at a crow and silence became the norm. I saw another turkey later flying down hill. If I would have been standing I would have been offered a shot. Oh well tomorrow is another day.

I saw some squirrels and deer to round out the morning.

Light and moderate rain was the norm this morning. The winds were calm, but a dreary sky permeated the woodlands.  I heard my woodcock friend “sniping” in the pre-dawn moments. I waited to see if Bob was showing up to hunt until the last moment. Finally I had to embark the hill!

I sat in wait to see what events would transpire on this second day of the 2013 gobbler season. Warblers began chirping about and the crows opened up with their raucous cawing. A gobbler from across the hollow responded to their noise.  I debated, with his second gobble to cross over. Finally, I decided to go after him  while the grays would help conceal my approach.

I set up approximately 130 yards from the gobbling bird. He, now, was double and triple gobbling. I seduced him with some soft calls and was met with an anxious reply.

The moments crept on when I could hear a dog barking, up the hollow, at a friend’s home. I remembered wondering what made the lab bark.  The tom gobbled a few more times and then silence! I thought something isn’t feeling right with this bird. I waited a bit and called again. SILENCE!  I watched a hen fly from a tree directly above me, but no sounds from the gobbler.

My gut feelings are usually correct. I exited down hill and circled around to the top. I saw two birds and thought I may need to beak them up as a fall hunter might do. I turned and I saw another hunter. I approached him and we chatted and became acquainted. He was a nice fellow and we, both, apologized if we interfered with the hunt. We parted. he remained on the property and I went back across the hollow to seek out other gobblers.

Hindsight has made me believe the tom had seen the hunters approach. he was roosted along the ridge’s edge in trees with little foliage. This may have been the reason he clammed up so quickly. I will never know for sure., but, this is why it is called hunting and not getting. Things happen!

I did see a hen  later. I reached for my camera and realized the memory card was absent. This really bothered me as I walked around the hill calling for turks. I saw two more hens in a field and I had to go home and find that card! (And I did at home!)

I saw some squirrels and had nine deer spotted so the day was still a success. Tomorrow will be another day!

The sky was perfectly clear with a full moon casting long shadows. My plan of attack on this first morning of the 2013 spring gobbler season was to try to get up on the hill behind a ridge where gobblers often roost. I was surprised to see Bob already parked at 5:30 A.M. We quickly discussed or plans and off I went. I was moving a little later than I had hoped. I was blessed to hear the mating ritual of a woodcock as I climbed the slope.   

The edge of thetop of the hill was in sight when a gobbler thundered from across the hollow. I stopped and thought the bird was below where Bob was going.

My stoppage forced another situation as a turkey erupted from a tree not 40 yards from me. Just my luck I thought. I decided to set a while and I did some turkey yelps earlier than the books say as the hens tend to call later after the gobbling starts.

Wow! Several turkeys began gobbling in sync behind and across another hollow. I imagined these birds may have been jakes from the 2012 hatch. I thought I may as well have some fun regardless and made a move to set directly across from their roosting tree. I estimated the distance to be 150 yards or so. They liked my calling until a real hen could be heard near them. Their enthusiasm waned, but another turkey far from the three could be heard.  I called excitedly and soon realized the bird had left the roost and seemed to be coming down slope towards me. He, soon, gobbled directly below me and I prepared the Remington 870 shotgun for action.

2013 Spring Gobbler

The tom became quiet for quite some time before’ once again, announcing his whereabouts. He was now on the same side of the hill as I was and to my right. I watched for any sign of his approach. He continued to circle me and I maneuvered a spin around the tree to get keep into proper shooting position.

After a time I could see the top of the fanned tail and the shotgun’s sights were aligned. I clucked and the gobbler raised up allowing me to see a beard and take the shot. The twenty-five yard shot dropped the gobbler. The time was 6:45 A.M. I gave thanks for the harvest and prepared the tag.

I met an old high school buddy as I was leaving. Ed Orr was hunting turkeys too. We chatted a bit and I went in search of Bob.

King of the Rock!

The temperature was to become warm as I headed down the road towards where my cousin, Donnie hunts. I left a breast feather on his windshield as per our tradition.

The beautiful gobbler was a very nice two-year old bird. His beard was nine inches with 3/4 inch spurs. He weighed in at 21 pounds!