I had a hard time falling asleep last night..usually a good sign for the next days hunt. I almost shot the alarm when it did go off..that's what usually happens when I get startled.
I stepped out the door with a cup of coffee..so windy it was difficult to hear much..the few gobbles I did hear were quickly blown away. I decided to stick with the plan, which was to hunt a nearby section and then to go to my next spot which I had hunted quite a bit last week.. in the rain.. and had a pretty good idea how the birds were moving through..previously past me.. and slightly out of range of the old Lefever.
The jalopy fired right up..and I was on my way..and made it to my intended destination. As soon as I stepped out I heard a hen yelping and further back a gobbler answered. I slipped into the woods and was soon leaning up against the most uncomfortable tree I could find..not on purpose..just worked out that way. The wind was doing a fine job of keeping the mosquitoes and black flies off their intended runway..most likely the bridge of my nose or forehead..it also made it hard to hear any gobbling.
A cluck or a putt to my right and slightly behind me I did hear and slowly turned my head to see a hen passing by...after a while I heard some yelps from the direction she had gone. I decided it was time to find a more comfortable place to sit and moved carefully in the direction she had gone. Soon I heard more yelping and some cutting and gobbling. I didn't dare push my luck and soon found a stub of an old tree shaped somewhat like a recliner, arms and all. I got comfortable and called..a gobbler answered and a hen started cutting, soon I could see her coming and a fan behind her. I didn't really want to call her right up and have her spot me in this somewhat open section so I stopped calling.
About this time I saw something move in from my right..a bobcat heading right for the turkeys. I could see turkeys, but I wanted a picture of the bobcat, so I picked up my camera..moving very slowly. The bobcat reversed direction and I was only able to get a couple of blurry shots as he cleared out rather quickly. My attention turned back to the turkeys and I could see several fans..so I sat and watched them chasing hens.. or each other.. through the hardwoods. A hen came up and laid down in a patch of sunlight not more than forty yards away..after a while she got up and headed down the hill and it got pretty quiet. I sat for a while longer and then noticed three gobblers strutting directly below me..
I picked up my call and tried them..they gobbled simultaneously so I poured it on..and then went quiet again. Presently the gobblers began filing my way through the hardwoods...closer and closer..one picked out something he didn't like and I knew it was time to make my move..one stepped out from behind a tree and the old Lefever dispatched him promptly. It was a fine hunt and definitely memorable.
I just wish I could have gotten a better shot of the bobcat!
