Larry A. Smail's Blog

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.

    The grassy areas were already white as I drove through the early pre-dawn time heading to pick up Bob and try for turkeys. This first day of the fall turkey season was to be a white one. The woods were draped in snow by the time we entered the woods. We received a good three inches of snow where we hunted.

I heard a few soft yelps around 7:30 and hurried towards the sound. Some of the birds were already on the ground others were still in the trees. I drove them off and a decent break was the result. It wouldn’t be long before  turkey talk was heard down the hill.

I set Bob up and moved to his right  10 yards or so. I expected the action to be fast and it was. The turkeys were sounding with kee-kee and whistles and they were coming in towards me. I held the shotgun ready as the birds closed in. Suddenly, I could hear the yelps of the hen turkey.  As often can happen while calling turkeys the birds were getting together only about 35 yards from me but terrain issues were keeping them from being seen. They moved the other way after the hen came to them.

I backtracked and circled around and walked into the birds. I could have easily shot but I charged them to break up again. I went back and brought Bob up and we settled in. However, the heavy wet snow was beginning to soak in and long waits were not going to happen. I was getting wetter by the minute and colder too. BUT MY FEET WERE DRY AND WARM…no more Gore-Tex and their problems.

Bob and I circled around in the direction where the turkeys seemed to have flown. I saw some scratchings and shortly walked into the gobbler flock of five birds. I charged but couldn’t get a break. I knew waiting to chance these birds would be futile under the circumstances. Wet snow was falling  and wet snow was coming off the trees. Limbs were falling all around too. I thought back of my sister’s first husband who died by a limb striking him in 1987. There was snow and wind on that day too.

      Bob and I went back to the original plan of circling where the flock may have gone. We set up after I was answered by a distant kee-kee. Less than five minutes later a silent turkey came from my right and the 24 yard shot was perfect. 

Bob and I continued on and watched a small buck walk through the pines and later we spooked two birds out of the trees. We decided to circle around where we were at dawn and try to cut tracks. We arrived at car shortly after noon soaked through out.

Once the snow quit falling the snow on the trees and ground melted fast. I avoided carrying my camera this day while in the woods. That was a good decision. All our calls would not work correctly due to moisture. A camera would not have been a good idea. (The photos shown here were taken after the snow had melted quite a bit.)

I will try for a turkey next week with Bob. Wish us luck!       

What a difference in a couple of days!