Soon After the Snow Melts Off
 

My mind drifts away from these frozen mountains of snow to the balmy spring days of turkey season. Yes, there will still be snow beneath the spruces where the warming rays of the sun doesn't penetrate but it will be gone in the open areas. And the turkeys will be coming to the clearings and fields just around sun-up to scratch and feed. I'll be there waiting, motionless with my hands around the grip of a Parker, waiting for the flapping of the first bird to fly down - and the second, and third, and then the fourth, fifth, sixth... until they're all on the ground and making their way toward my hide. It's almost like the anticipation of opening day of grouse season... but different.

The first picture was taken in early April last year - can you feel it?... Spring at last. The steamy fog in the morning permeates the woods as the snow melts away among the roost trees.

It won't be long now...




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Hunting Eastern wild turkeys is tops in my book!

Osceolas included

Those pics showing green are a welcome sight. Beautiful, classic country too. What do you have wrapped around those bbls?

The barrels and action are polished to a bright silver shine. I wrap fabric camo tape around them but then I can't see the bead so I got a piece of hot pink tubing from some fishing tackle and popped a piece onto the bead.

Hang in there Dean, You guys have had your share of cold and snowy days, ever notice the many colors of green in the spring, the earth wakes up from its long winter sleep to bring new life to all things that have survived, fortunately the things that did not survive will bring nourishment for others that come after , Gary

I sure do Gary - and the different colored buds on the trees. Red maple buds and the various greens with some purples mixed in, they look like jewels in the slanted rays of the early morning sunlight.

To me one of the great things about spring turkey hunting is sitting with my back against a tree at grey light listening to the night sounds disappear and the sound of the little birds as they start their day. To top it off a Thunder Chicken will sound off and start my blood racing in anticipation of wing drag sounds and the thump-humm of a strutting tom coming closer to my hide. Maybe just maybe I'll get to go this spring.

Just as I described in my story "A Parker-Perfect Morning" in a past issue of Parker Pages Dennis.

Darn right it won't be long..........before Kathy calls the men in white suits. I'm not a Doctor, but I played one once when I was a kid, and it sure sounds like early onset dementia. I think you've had one-too-many snowstorms.

With the past two weeks of miserable weather ,on my way to work I have been watching two different flocks of birds in the open fields ! Toward the end of last week as I was eyeballing the field where I have been seeing the first flock ,I noticed what appeared to be 13 Hens and two Big Toms strutting their stuff in the middle of the field at 2:00 in the afternoon ! They know it's coming !!!!!!!!!!!

Very nice! SC season opens this Sunday and I can hardly wait.

turkey season begins for me this saturday...dean that sure is pretty country your hunting..what gauge gun did you shoot that nice gobbler with...charlie

We used to have an old Neighbor who claimed Turkey Season started when ya see em !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:shock: Years ago if you seen a Turkey in our area it almost made front page news !:rotf:

Charlie, the gun I used to shoot that bird in the picture with was my DH 12 ga. with 30" Titanic barrels with Full/Full chokes.
The one with the camo wrapping and the hot pink front sight was my 10 gauge D-grade 3-frame lifter with 30" 0 Damascus barrels with Full/Full chokes.

Dean, after this winter I hope we still have Turkeys to hunt:shock:

You can say that again Steve. All wildlife has suffered severely this winter here in the Northeast.

You easterners have had a brutal winter this year! On the up side you won't have water issues this summer like we will out west. Our winter has been almost nonexistent, low snow packs and warm temps. Everything is blooming or starting to.

I'm afraid the turkey rut will be all over by the time the season opens April 15th. Good thing there's spring bears to chase.

For Charlie and others with spring gobbler fever.

A while back I posted pics of 12 long beards on another thread. The picture was not very good. Today I just remembered I had a trail camera close by so, with the snow now at a tolerable level I picked it up and ...

I thought I would stir your blood a bit. Get those big Parkers ready because it will not be long. Good Luck!

Oh, do me a favor and shoot the other guy in the photos as well. We could do with a few less!

It looks by the trails in the snow that those are each different birds.

Dean, they're gobbling early this year. Seems the turkeys are tired of old man winter too.

Turkeys around here are still choking and gagging on the snow. I think it'll be a while yet.

Mom and Dad are loaded down with ducks (now over a month after the season) but the only turkey is Mom's pet, Hoppy, who has a bad leg and hangs around the house. Can't shoot Hoppy. Season opens Sunday and we'll probably do a dry run Saturday to see where they are hiding.

How long are Hoppy's beard and spurs... :whistle:

Haven't gotten that close to him yet.:corn:

We have approx. 2 dozen turkeys on the 100 odd acres of property that abut my son in laws home here in Plymouth, Ma. When the season opens my 8 yr old grandson and I will set up our blind and start calling. At 8 yrs old, Logan is becoming a pretty good caller and I figure that's a god way to break him in slowly to the sport. (It also helps to have an extra set of eyes and ears in the blind with papa!) It reminds me of fond memories of when my dad took me under his wing....and is a wonderful tradition to hand down

Good for you Allen. Also sounds like you have some choice property too. Good luck with your season

Dean,
Duct tape on a Parker, huh?
I thought I was the only one. Now there are two whipping boys in the Parker circle.
I believe it was that great American philosopher, George Costanza, who uttered the famous words "Is that wrong?"
Best Fishes,
Steve Kleist Ely, MN

Steve, that's fabric camo stretch tape that sticks to itself without adhesive.

Turkey do not draw me the way deer do !

And with that being said I wouldn't mind getting a turkey (hen , jake or big tom) with my maternal grandfathers old W&C Scott 10 gauge . That things fullest and even more fullerer loll's !

Here in ohio for the past 10 days I have herd the gobbles and yelps....(-: Never this early? SXS ohio

No break in the winter action here. It's in the -30's in the villages this morning, -14 at my house, -20 in town. While you guys are looking at greenery coming out soon, we had two young guys freeze to death on the streets of Fairbanks in one day - a homeless guy and, of all things, a native student at the university, and on the university grounds no less. A rare and sad day here in the frozen north.