Don't you just wish you could look into the crystal ball and predict the weather for your vacations? The plan today was to head north in pursuit of a fall wild turkey. Today was not the most ideal weather. The rain was all day and heavy at times. But vacation time is precious. So I made the journey.
I made the first hunt at the same place I took a fall bird last year. All I got was wet. I used my truck at two locations during the morning as my stand. Wet clothes = fogged up windows. I gave in to a nap at the conservation area that lasted till after lunch.
Having no luck on the east side of the mountain I went heater hunting to the west side. During one of the heavier downpours of the day I spied a flock of birds in the back pasture of a maple sugar plantation. I counted from one to thirty. Rain or not I made a plan.
The rain was heavy and the wind was blowing hard and I used that to my advantage. My movements through the woods went undetected. I was able to sneak right up to the field the turkeys were in. At one point I had two just out of range. Then I saw the lead hen coming my way and all the prodigy followed....to a certain point then they all turned around and fed out of site.
Things were starting to get discouraging when I saw the whole brood fly into another field further away from me. I didn't get up at 0400 this morning and drive 100 miles to give up now.
I made my way into the woods behind the field in the direction the turkeys went. I went right into some beautifully manicured maple sugar bush. I had to walk over a dozen hoses coming off the mountain.
I came to a stone wall that lead down to the field. I put the gloves and face mask on and started my stalk. I didn't get three steps downhill when I saw a hen walking in the woods below me. There was movement behind her. Could it be true? Through the fog and rain I could see this turkey had a beard.
It is amazing how fast the wheels can turn when opportunity knocks. I was able to cock the hammer, find a shooting lane and raise the gun in one thought. When my Pardner spoke I had my first mature fall gobbler.
18 pounds 8.5" beard and 1/2 and 5/8 spurs.
I would like to thank mmskunk, Ziggy and Popeye for their help and hospitality. I could not have done it without their knowledge of the homelands.