I have been blessed with several wonderful friends that live just a few minutes out of the Spokane City limits, and it pleases me to know that a sportsman can still obtain permission to hunt on private land by simply asking permission. I truly appreciate this opportunity every spring to spend a couple of mornings Turkey hunting and listening to the sounds of nature. It thrills me to hear the cackle of a rooter pheasant, or the whistle of a Wood Duck, the vibrant hooks of Canada Geese and the majestic gobble of a distant wild turkey.
My second morning I had a marvelous hunt and gathered cherished memories that will stay with me for a lifetime. It was so exciting to set up my decoys and settle in under a mature ponderosa pine, and break the morning silence with several soft purrs and sweet love yelps. The tones from my slate and box call penetrated the soul of a love sick tom not far away. He responded with resounding gobbles off in the distance. It was amazing to watch him cautiously come in strutting and displaying for my hen decoys, posturing back and forth, pivoting his beautifully displayed fan and dragging his wings on the ground while he danced lazy figure 8’s. Eventually his curiosity got the best of him and he strutted within range of my turkey slayer, I placed the bead of my Remington Model 870 shotgun at the base of his head and squeezed the trigger. He folded instantly, he was a mature 4-year old tom with a 9 ½” beard and 1” spurs with an absolutely beautiful fan.
After 35 minutes a second tom was gobbling up high on the ridge east of my location. I was able to maneuver up past the pond and get within 60 yards of him before I started to call to him with some sweet love yelps. I hunkered up beside a big ponderosa pine, there was a flat lying ridge between us. I would yelp and he would gobble, we exchanged a sweet love serenade and then I shut up and waited for him to investigate. He was very curious as to where those love yelps were coming from. I could tell he was moving towards me for I could hear him drumming and dragging his wings on the ground, and then the silence would be broken with a vibrant gobble. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up with excitement. Before long I could see the white tips of his fanned out tail moving slowly towards me. He appeared in full strut not more than 20 yards away with his head blazing in deep red with a brilliant blue and white head cap.
His curiosity got the best of him when he finally let down his fan and stretch out his neck looking for his new lover. Patiently I was already looking down my shotgun barrel waiting for him to do just that, the silence was broken with a resounding boom, and I filled my 2nd turkey tag of the 2011 Spring Turkey Season.
He was a 3 year old magnificent bird weighing 20+ pounds, with a 9” beard and 3/4” spurs. His tail was beautiful with characteristic Merriam markings of white tips and white buff feather patch on his fan. It was truly a very enjoyable morning.
Turkey Hunting is a passion of mine, I have been very fortunate to have been able to hunt them now for over 30 years. I look forward to the first gobble each spring after the long cold months of winter. Thank you for letting me rekindle that crazy passion of mine.
Best Regards,
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