As I have already noted, I did not get bird this spring. But I still had a good time hunting. I have laid out the details here for you. Enjoy.

May 7 - Day 1 Did not hunt - family get-together that I had to attend.

May 8 - Day 2 Wet in the Woods

May 9 - Day 3 Thought today would be the day

May 10- Day 4 Stuck Out!

May 11- Day 5 The Beer Party Gobbler - NOT!!!

Day 2

Got to the woods about 4.50 - still very dark due to cloud cover - it was almost 5.15-5.20 before there was any activity - then just one bird started to gobble - but not from where I heard them before. I moved in on him - got up above him and on a flat - I figure I was inside 100 yds. I used my "wing" call on the tree - scratching it, and just a couple of soft clucks. I heard him fly down, and just like that, the gobbling ended. It was windy, also an amount of rain was falling from trees yet - so it could have been that he didn't want to be in the woods. Stayed there till 6.30 - nothing more doing.

Moved to west at 6.30 - heard a bird gobbling way off - went as far as I could go - hit a fence and no tresspass signs. Could see a green field thru the trees - I figured that was where the bird was. Fired a couple yelps at him - he fired back. But then he got hung up - he didn't want to climb the hill to me - thru the woods again.

I stayed with this bird till almost 7.30 - by then the gobbles stopped. Started walking the woods edges - I flushed a bird - never saw it, but he was close - maybe 40 yds. I was checking field edges, meadows, etc. Never saw or heard another bird for the rest of the day. Tryed crow call and slate - yelps and cutts. Dead silence.

At 10.30, I walked out - back to car. Went up to some nearby state WMA land - there had been some guys there when I went by early, but they were gone then.

Went to a 2nd woods - I yelped and used my crow call - nothing doing. Nothing in fields. Just totally dead.

At 11.45, I ended there, walked across road on to some other land - mainly looking to see it I could even see birds - much less work them. Nothing. The area I walked was all fields - there are woods as well, but I figured the birds must be out in the open somewhere, based on earlier in the morning.

Went back to car about 12.10 - wet - from rain, humidity, and sweating. Drove up along the state land, as I was going to take a look around the entire area. Saw a bird cross the road in front of me - this was about 12.25 - it was a Jake. Figures.....

Day 3

Did not get out quite as early this morning - set the clock for 3.30, but when it went off - I reset it for 5.00. Never went back to "deep" sleep, moreso I dosed.

Got to the woods a little after 6.00 - one of the new ones I got permission to hunt this spring. Quiet - not much going on. Heard distant gobbles, nothing close. Walked field edges, yelped, etc. Thought I heard drumming across the river - turkey or ruffed grouse?

Crossed a small river (and tore a hole in my boots - didn't see a strand of barb wire - figures) - got on a old field road in the woods - rapidly becoming a deer trail - saw a doe. The area I was now in was state land and two differant peices of private land.

Came to the opening / field where I got my bird two years ago, and where I saw birds last year - and there he was! Big and strutting - but no way to get at him. He was in the middle of a 30 acre corn field. His beard looked to nearly touch the ground!

I watched for a bit, then saw something else dark - turned out to be a hen. This was about 7.20. I watched them for how long - figuring all I had to do was wait - the hen would run off, lay eggs, the I'd have him to myself.

Continued to watch until about 8.30, then the hen started to go away - and the Tom started to follow. Rats. Then the hen took off running - don't know why, unless she made me in the brush, watching them. At any rate, they were gone. I did yelp at him as he ran off - he stopped and looked - so I fugured I had a shot at him - as I know he heard me.

So then I set out my decoy - figuring the Tom would come back. Started with some soft yelps. Heard some gobbles, not real close - or so it sounded (wind also blowing some). Finally one gobble sounded closer - then I spotted him, but it wasn't "him" - this was a differant bird - beard not as long. But still a Tom.

But this boy would not come my way - he kept going away from me. I got frustrated, and figured, why not see if I can cut him off. He got out of sight, so I took off - thru the field, and into the woods, up hill and to the edge of a flat grass meadow. Yelped - no answer. So I started to ease my way along the edge - and disaster struck - I flushed him - he wasn't as far as I figured he'd be. I expected him to be up on the flat, but he was still on the hill. He'd have been in range had I seen him in time, maybe 20 yards from me.

He ended up flying back to where he came from. and I went back to my decoy. I sat down, figured a nap would kill some time - it was about 9.15, so I leaned against the tree and dosed. Woke up just before 10.00, ate a candy bar, then started hammering away w/ a box call - see if I could get an answer - via loud cutts and yelps. But nothing - so I packed it in at 11.00, and worked my way back to the car and farm yard. Yelped along the way, but no response.

Today started out mostly clear, but was overcast by about 9.00. Woods are very green - can't see very far at all - at least in the ones I was in today.

There is a waterway (grass drainage strip) in this field - birds were on it this morning, as they were last year, so I figured "I'm going to try to get myself on to it in the morning - right where it joins the woods opposite from where I first was..." - as this seemed to be a travel path, the waterway providing a touch of cover.

The 2nd Tom used it as his entry point to the field, and I am guessing the big boy did as well.

Day 4

The best laid plans - alas - no bannana....

It was 40 degrees and totally clear when I left the house. Got to the place I was going to hunt about 4.25-4.30, got behind the landowners house, across a small field, and to the edge of his woods. Was able to make it along the edge of the woods with little if any noise, found the water way.

Found a nice tree to use - just a bit of brush which I was able to handle with the brush cutters I carry. Other than that, good view of field, and back side of the state WMA land.

Waited patiently, birds finally started to gobble about 5.10. But none where I was! They were either in state land or on the farm I came in on yesterday - one bird gobbled hard until 6.15 or so, but it was totally dead where I was.

I did see a number of deer - one actually walked up to with in 20 feet of me before it got nervous - I don't know that it smelled me - it just spotted something that didn't belong - that funny looking green lump - me! And even though its not deer season, it didn't make my heart race any less!! It was as bad as last fall, when that buck made me - my heart just started to race, my breathing got ragged, etc. I guess deer aren't as mundane as I thought they were for awhile.

I sat by my tree until 7.30 - then got impatient - and started walking - I walked most of the ridge ground on the east side of the state land, then came back along the trail thru the river bottom. Used my crow call and box - tryed to get a gobble - got none. At one point - I was hearing drumming - I was concerned as it sounded like it might be back where I started - but wasn't certain - it was intermitant - not steady like that I heard yesterday. The bird did seem to drum when I yelped.

Finally got to the back side of the state land and field edge where I was yesterday (about 9.00 now) - and danged if there wasn't a bird out there! But what? I put my Nikon's on it - I just couldn't tell. Finally the bird started to work closer to me. I had yelped once - hoping to encourage a little strutting or a gobble - nothing! It kept getting closer - finally I knew - but I kept trying to "make it" grow a beard. It was a hen - she came to within about 20-25 yds - and with 8X binoculars on her, there was no doubt in my mind. I bet I glassed her no less than 20 times - up/down cycles - various angles, but no beard. She walked off clucking softly. To tell you the truth, if it had been a jake I would have gladly smacked him.

Walked back to the tree where I started - sat there until about 9.30-10.00, then went back to the car - did a little road scouting - would stop car and yelp 5-6X, no answer - keep going. Finally got to another woods I hadn't been in yet. Hunted there from 10 until noon. Yelped from time to time - nothing.

As I walked back to the car, it started to drizzle (had been overcast since shortly after sunrise).

Day 5

I got to the woods about 4.50 am, and it was quiet, also overcast, and breezy, about 50 degrees. Thunder bumpers were in the forecast, but nothing doing right then. This was the same woods I had hunted on Day 2.

About 5.00 I heard voices - but could not tell from where. Then silence, then I heard them again. I thought that if these were hunters they were really stupid, otherwise something else was going on - but what? I thought I had this woods to myself, but the owner could have given permission to someone else. But he hadn't mentioned it to me, so I was puzzled. Then I heard voices again, and loud, and distinct - the word "2000", and I knew - kids, having a beer party.

I started down a trail to confirm my suspicion - saw a campfire, heard car doors, and female voices - at that point, I left. It was getting light enough to see now - I followed tracks out - plainly evident that multiple vehicles had gone in there - and there was no gobbling, so no loss.

Followed tracks to road - finding route - as I am thinking I need to call the Sheriff. Got to the road about 5.45 - started looking for a house w/ lights or other activity showing folks were up - but there was none.

Waited for awhile - watching the route the kids had taken going in to the woods - but no vehicles came out. Then I went to knock on the door of a landowner (Mannie). No answer. Back in the car, waited, had window down, hoping to catch him going to work, or a kid driving out. Saw none, but heard a gobble in a woods I have permission to hunt - and I said screw it, I'm out here to hunt turkey.

Flew down the road about 3/4 mile, then parked. Heard gobbles again. Grabbed my stuff and went in. Terribly green, terribly thick - not much visability. Got on a wide trail, and had some other openings - max visability is maybe 15yds off the trail, maybe 20-25 on trail. Clucked softly - instant answer. Clucked on and off for the next hour - this started about 6.20. The gobbling increased tremendously.

I thought he was coming several times. The longer this took, the more frantic the gobbles became. I was close to the road, so I tryed to confuse things by only calling when traffic was going by. It was almost as if the Tom was in a rage - he was gobbling upwards of a dozen times straight with out stopping. He sounded like he was about 30-40 yds out - but I couldn't see him.

My mouth got so dry - I could hardly cluck on the diaphram - also breathing was ragged - knees shaking, etc. I could almost touch that bird - he was so close - yet so far away!

Meantime, the wind is picking up, then it got still. Thunder and lightening started. Then it got dark, and then the hail and rain started - hail about the size of buck shot. The gobbling stopped. (Looks like a cold shower has the same effect on a horny gobbler ;) ) The wind started again, the trees and brush are whipping. Then came more rain, now harder. I figured I should try and move on him, the storm motion would cover me.

I did so - moved 20-25 yds, then found another oak tree. Heard a single gobble, then woods is silent. Sat down. Tried a yelp - but no response. Rain is still coming, and quite cold. Fairly wet now - so I figured the heck w/ it. I stood up, the brush moved.

"Putt - putt - putt!!" Looked up, my bird is about 15 yds away, up in a tree about 30 feet, flying away as I watched. Maybe he flew up for the storm - maybe not, but I had the distinct impression he was on the ground - but I don't know. But now he was gone. So that is 3 I flushed.

Went back up to where I had been earlier, parked, and walked in to the first woods - was going to check on my partiers. Found tents and a cooler, but saw no bodies. Again I backed off - figured I would call the Sheriff.

Went to another landowners house (Norbert)- he was not home, but his wife was. Spoke to her - we decided we needed input from Noel (the owner of the land where the party is going. He is in poor health and in a nursing home). Drove to the nursing home, found him, explained what I had found. He said no one had permission to camp or party there. He asked me to call the Sheriff. Drove back to Norbert's, told them what I had learned and made the call from their house.

The Sheriff'ss dispatcher did not want to do anything - as I was not the landowner - but finally convinced them to do so. Also said to make sure they show up with a 4WD, as with the rain, they wouldn't get in there with a car.

"We don't have officers with 4WD" she said. "Then call the game warden" was my response "he has one". Made arangements as to where to meet. 15 min later, a deputy shows up. Showed him where the camp was on my topo map and on the plat book, and how to get there. Then an assistant deputy shows up - has a 4WD truck. We head in - and a 2nd deputy shows - so now there are 4 of us.

We drive in - get in the woods - the second deputy sees the tents - then jumps out - about that time, a girl crawls out of a tent - the jig is up. The assistant and I stood and watched while the deputies did their thing. 5-6 boys, 3 girls, and tents for many more. It was senior skip day at one of the area schools, and the deputies knew all these kids - they were from the immediate area - two were kids of landowners who give me permission to hunt.

As the search continues, out comes the evidence - a 24pk of beer, and 3 opened bottles of booze - also 2 which were still sealed. The opened ones were dumped, the other stuff was confiscated. Then the kids had to break camp, and get their stuff over to us - and that was thru a steep muddie ditch.

They were slipping and falling, etc. It was kind of funny. So when that was all done - then they were marched out, walking in front of the truck, while we rode out. The one deputy commented that this was just like in Iraq - turns out he was in the army during Desert Strom, and had marched out Iraqi soldiers.

I went to get my car, and up on the road, who do I see, but but one of the dads (Mannie) of one of the kids - one who lets me hunt. So I went and talked to him. Turns out he was not mad at me - he liked the idea - that they got caught, and by someone other than him. He had warned the kids to stay out of that woods before - as they have some sort of rent agreement with the owner for the farm land), but not the woods. Mannie has a back hoe (construction equipment), and he told his kid "You know the backhoe? - it will dig about 13 ft deep." Kid says "yeah". And Mannie says "That's not half as deep as the SH** you're in now!!!"

So that was my morning - Quite a tale huh?

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