Today for Christmas, we dined on wild turkey burger and venison meatball vegetable soup. The reason we were able to eat wild turkey breast (in the form of burgers) is because Sunday I was able to tag a bird.
I went hunting with Bedford County's Mike Morrell and his turkey dog Bailey.
Bailey is a superior turkey dog and busted up two flocks not long after we arrived. It was a joy watching Bailey work. Next year, I would like to take Mike and Bailey to our West Virginia land in Monroe County.
Tomorrow, I'm going to take my son Mark turkey hunting in Botetourt with the hope that he can tag a bird before he heads back to Alaska to teach.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Spending Saturday in the Virginia Turkey Woods (Blog 422)
I spent all day Saturday pursuing turkeys on a Botetourt County, Virginia cattle farm. And for the first time in my life, I busted up three separate flocks of birds...and never fired a shot. On the first scatter, with the birds on the roost, they all flew in the same direction.
On the second scatter, which was a flock of gobblers, I actually called one of the longbeards in. But I didn't have a shot because I had set up wrong.
On the third scatter, which was just before 2:00 P.M., I again set up incorrectly as birds filtered by just out of sight.
I hope to do better today. People who think fall turkey hunting is easy are people who don't hunt fall turkeys.
On the second scatter, which was a flock of gobblers, I actually called one of the longbeards in. But I didn't have a shot because I had set up wrong.
On the third scatter, which was just before 2:00 P.M., I again set up incorrectly as birds filtered by just out of sight.
I hope to do better today. People who think fall turkey hunting is easy are people who don't hunt fall turkeys.
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Virginia Turkey Hunting in the Snow (Blog 421)
Wednesday of this week, with Botetourt County schools again closed and with my frustration with being inside at its peak, I decided to go turkey hunting in the snow at a nearby cattle farm. I asked Elaine to drop me off around 2:30 and pick me up at dark.
My reasoning was that the cattle would slog their way through the deep snow (16 inches fell) and open up some pasture. This would cause turkeys to come feed in the pasture...or so my reasoning went.
But when I arrived at the farm, the cattle were all down at the barn. None of them had ventured away from it the whole time since the snow had fallen on Sunday. So it was I that slogged my way through the pasture and found not a single turkey track. I had hoped to go turkey hunting today, Saturday, but the steady rains ruined that. Maybe tomorrow?
My reasoning was that the cattle would slog their way through the deep snow (16 inches fell) and open up some pasture. This would cause turkeys to come feed in the pasture...or so my reasoning went.
But when I arrived at the farm, the cattle were all down at the barn. None of them had ventured away from it the whole time since the snow had fallen on Sunday. So it was I that slogged my way through the pasture and found not a single turkey track. I had hoped to go turkey hunting today, Saturday, but the steady rains ruined that. Maybe tomorrow?
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Success in Virginia Turkey Woods (Blog 420)
In my 32 years as a turkey hunter, I have never seen so few birds as this year. I've gone deer hunting 20 times this season and only twice during those times did I see turkeys.
So when I scattered a flock of birds Tuesday after teaching school, I was so excited I could barely sleep. Wednesday morning, I went out for an hour hunt before school, setting up at the scatter point.
Fortunately, I was able to call in a bird, killing it at 7:18. Elaine took pictures for a future magazine story, I phone checked the bird and cleaned it, and was able to arrive at school around 8:30. The kitchen was a mess from the cleaning and my hunting clothes were scattered all over the house, but it was a memorable morning.
So when I scattered a flock of birds Tuesday after teaching school, I was so excited I could barely sleep. Wednesday morning, I went out for an hour hunt before school, setting up at the scatter point.
Fortunately, I was able to call in a bird, killing it at 7:18. Elaine took pictures for a future magazine story, I phone checked the bird and cleaned it, and was able to arrive at school around 8:30. The kitchen was a mess from the cleaning and my hunting clothes were scattered all over the house, but it was a memorable morning.
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Time for Chicks to Move Outdoors? (Blog 419)
Elaine and I have been in a quandry all week. Our two heritage Rhode Island Red chicks are now almost 10 weeks old, and they, with their mother Mary, have been living in our basement since the hatching. This is not an ideal situation, of course, yet we also know that the other chickens can kill chicks, as did happen earlier with Mary's first chick that hatched.
Winter is coming on, and if we wait too late to put this trio outside, it will be all the harder for the chicks to adapt to the cold. But, again, if they enter into the run too soon, there's that danger of them being killed. So Sunday tomorrow, with a forecast in the 60s, is the day we are going to put the chicks outdoors in the run. We know Mary will try to protect them, the question is will she be able to.
Winter is coming on, and if we wait too late to put this trio outside, it will be all the harder for the chicks to adapt to the cold. But, again, if they enter into the run too soon, there's that danger of them being killed. So Sunday tomorrow, with a forecast in the 60s, is the day we are going to put the chicks outdoors in the run. We know Mary will try to protect them, the question is will she be able to.
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