2024-May-08 Turkeys came close to dying twice this morning

[mazzgolf]

(This is just another long story of mine - it doesn't end with a harvest, but does end with a surprise).

I went to a new spot today. Pre-dawn, I walked the half mile to a spot and sat next to a tree facing south. Before shooting time, I heard a Tom on the roost (to my north, of course, so I’m facing the wrong way), so I quickly got up and moved another 50 or so yards closer and sat. I ended up sitting in the woods that borders the edge of a field that I don’t have permission to hunt, so I was hoping the birds would stay on my side.

I listened to this Tom gobble for about 15 minutes, along with at least 2 or 3 other Toms that were further south (!! close to where I originally sat !!). I eventually heard him fly down, but never saw him. I only let out a few clucks and yelps - I had the birds talk back to me so I knew they knew where I was. But they eventually got pretty quiet.

Soon though I heard some hens, and they were walking towards me, but they were on that private property side. I had to try to figure out how to coax them to me. The problem is there was a fence they couldn’t cross. I happened to be along the border where there was an opening in the fence. Really, all I needed to do was get one of the hens to turn the corner, walk down the opening, and pull in the 2 Toms that I heard following the hens.

I put out some aggressive calls, and one of the hens was clearly interested in finding where this other hen is. I actually heard a Tom spitting, but never saw it behind some trees/shrubs. It was very close. It would also gobble when either I or one of the hens would call. Even though the Tom was really close, he was on that private property. The hen turned the corner and I thought, oh boy! Game on! This is going to be good! She ended up walking right to me – no more than 7 or 8 feet from me – clucking and purring and looking all around for this hen that she knows is ... right ... here. She’s looking back and forth and doesn’t see anything. Poor thing was so confused. But rather than keep walking along the path (and bringing that Tom with her!) she backtracked and walked away.

She eventually crossed that private field to the other side, taking the other hen and the Toms with her (I eventually counted 3 Toms that were trailing these hens). So close, yet so far. I actually had the Toms within 20 to 30 yards and I did see them, but they were on the private field so I couldn't shoot. At this point it was a game – can I get them to cross that boundary and come to me? In the end, I could not.

I watched the hens and Toms on the far side of the field with my monocular. Then, suddenly, one of the hens takes flight and I follow her with my monocular as she roosts up in a tree! What in the world? I scan around and I can’t find the Toms anymore. I thought maybe the Toms were harassing the hen and she didn’t like it, but then I saw what the problem was. I saw a fox prancing back and forth right where the turkeys were. Phew! I think they escaped.

Man, the life of a turkey! Thinking about it, they came “that” close to getting killed... twice. Once by me, once by a fox. I can’t imagine the stress of living like a turkey with all the predators they have to evade.

Anyway, it was definitely a fun hunt.