"Although the Wild Turkey was well known to American Indians and widely used by them as food, certain tribes considered these birds stupid and cowardly and did not eat them for fear of acquiring these characteristics. By the end of the 19th century, the Wild Turkey had been hunted almost to extinction in much of its original range. Now, with protection, restocking programs, and the return of the mature forests favored by turkeys, this species is making a marked comeback. It is now common in areas where it was totally absent a few decades ago. Turkeys are swift runners and quite wary. They often roost over water because of the added protection that this location offers. They are polygamous, and the male gobbles and struts with tail fanned to attract and hold his harem."
Hey, no wisecracks about my acquiring their characteristics! The population of Eastern Turkeys (the most plentiful of several breeds of wild turkey) has exploded in Kansas over the past 20 years. I started hunting them five years ago and enjoy it very much. The weather hasn't cooperated well enough to get out this season and we're already a month in. Tomorrow morning I will head out with Nathan to spend the first 5 or 6 hours of the day trying to put some #5 shot on the head of an old polygamous Tom. I hope their gobblin' their fool heads off as I move in on them under the cover of dark.
8 comments:
Good luck! When Jeff shot his turkey we marinated the meat in italian dressing and threw it on the grill! Best turkey I ever had!!
Will you all be taking turns with the pictures like you do deer hunting? Hope you all each get a big tom!
So, how was hunting?
I'm living vicariously through you, since I'm not going for gobblers this year. I'm so disappointed. There's nothing like the sound of a gobble cutting through the woods right at sunrise. I get chills just thinking about it!
Had a good hunt, but got burned by a herd of cattle just when I was reeling in a good gobbler.
Good first hunt. Heard gobbles on the roost, but it wasn't till the toms shook the hens that I hooked up with the aforementioned turkey. I worked him for about 20 minutes, got him to about 100 yards. He didn't want to cross a creek, so I planned to move on him (circle around and behind him by crossing the creek a ways down), but about 100 head of cattle moved in on the pasture directly between me and the Tom. They lingered for a while,when they left, I couldn't get him to gobble again. I figured he left. After the cattle moved on, I walked across the pasture to the creek to look for sign, and sure enough, there he was! Unfortunatley he saw me and ska-dattled out of there.
Great morning. 56 degrees at sun up, got up to 70. 6 Mph south wind. Beautiful day in the woods...except for the ticks. I saw a few deer, had a humming bird flying around me, two raccoons fighting. Good stuff.
would that be God's providence for the turkey, Tony?
(I've been listening to some R.C.Sproul teaching on providence and I believe he would say that wasn't just by chance!)
I agree with the Westminster Confession's statment on providence:
God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
So it is my hope that God will govern a turkey to come in to my decoy so I can kill it and eat it.
ok, so, hopefully, you won't all think I'm nuts or some kind of kook, but frankly, I don't care. I have had more than one hunting experience when I have felt the direct hand of God in the provision of food for my family while out in the woods. Tomorrow when I have more time, I'll post one on my website for you to read. It'll be good, I promise.
Have to go, it's time for tea!
It must be the city boy at heart speaking here, but when I checked at my local Price Chopper they do sell Turkeys, and in most liquor stores, they also sell Wild Turkey in the event Divine Providence does not shine its face upon you and Nathan in your good will huntings.
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