(With turkey season approaching, permit me to share an article I wrote six years ago to whet your appetite for the upcoming season.)
A Favorite Gobbler Story
By: Glynn Harris
This is the time of year when guys and gals of my ilk crawl out of warm beds early mornings to head for the woods. Granted, no hunting season is open now and we’re not out there to circumvent the law; we’re going out to “listen”, as you’ll overhear us talking about what we did on early pre-spring mornings. We’re going out to “listen” for a gobbler.
Season is still a few weeks away, opens April 2, but there’s something about getting to hear a gobbler sound off from his roost tree that gets the juices flowing and serves to fire us up for what we hope to hear opening morning.
Not only is it possible to locate where gobblers are roosting, you can also find tracks, droppings, strut marks and such to find where birds are hanging out. Such was the case for me on March 19, 2008 when I stumbled upon the mother lode of turkeys.
After an early morning of listening for a gobbler when the woods were silent, I drove up to a well site back in the woods on my hunting club. I didn’t need to hear a gobbler that morning; when I rounded the curve leading to the well site, I saw turkeys – a whole bunch of turkeys including several strutting gobblers. When they saw me, they took off but no problem; I knew where I’d be set up on opening morning.
The next afternoon, I set up my ground blind in a thicket next to the well site, cleared brush so I could see the area where the turkeys had gathered the day before.
Granted, it was hard to sleep that night as my mind kept running the tapes back of the sight I had seen two days prior.
March 21 was opening day and I arrived at my blind well before daylight, I decided to sweeten the pot by placing “Pretty Boy”, my strutting tom decoy on the well site with a submissive hen crouching in front of the tom. Then I waited for daylight with high expectations of what I hoped would happen.
Once the eastern sky began to illuminate the woods and the cardinals and barred owls began their morning chorus, I heard a gobble from the woods directly in front of where I sat.
Waiting a couple of minutes, I stroked a few sweet yelps on my slate call and was greeted with an immediate gobble. Then I just sat back and waited to see what would happen next.
In less than ten minutes, I saw a white head pop up on the far edge of the well site 100 yards away. Then another head and then a third head as three gobblers began looking for the “hen” they thought they’d heard.
What happened next was what turkey hunters dream about; all three gobblers spied Pretty Boy and the little hen and it became a foot race to see who could get there first to chase away what they envisioned to be a gobbler that had invaded their territory.
One gobbler won the race and immediately attacked the fake gobbler, sending him careening off the stake where I had placed him. All three proceeded to give the fake a thrashing like I’d never seen with a chorus of clinks and rattles as their beaks and spurs pummeled the hard plastic.
One of the gobblers separated from the other two, I got a bead on him and dropped him. I expected the other two to hightail it when I shot but no; they jumped on the flopping bird I had shot and began pecking and spurring their fallen cohort unmercifully.
I could have easily taken both the other gobblers but I had my limit for the day and all I could do was sit back and enjoy the show until a vehicle approached and they scattered.
Spring turkey hunting can be disappointing but it can provide thrills and excitement, the likes of which I never experienced before or since that special morning in the turkey woods.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass are moving up to spawning areas and crank baits, jigs and spinners are starting to produce. Crappie have moved up in response to warmer temps and are on spawning beds. Jigs and shiners are taking some nice fish. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE –Crappie have moved up and are spawning. Lots of nice ones are being caught on shiners and jigs. Bass are also moving up in the timber and flipping jigs is picking up some fish. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is still quite low because of lock and dam problems down stream. Fishing overall is slow for bass and crappie. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass have moved up to more shallow areas preparing for the spawn. Jigs and crank baits are picking up some. Crappie are moving up around brush and timber to spawn and lots are being caught on shiners and jigs. No bream reports yet. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie have moved up the back of the creeks to prepare for the spring spawn. Jigs and shiners are picking up some. Bass are hitting crank baits, spinners and soft plastics around shallow brush. Lots of males in the shallows. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish are good while crappie are starting to respond in shallow water on jigs and shiners. Bass fishing has improved for spawning fish with crank baits, jigs and spinners picking up some nice fish. Plenty of catfish are being caught as well. For information, call the marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The lake level is on a rise. Water temp too cold just yet for crappie and bass. Buffalo and catfish are being caught in nets. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.