Turkey on the Menu

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

One pull of the shotgun’s trigger reminded me just how potent turkey loads are.  Even though the Winchester Long Beard 12-gauge ammo contains less shot than typical, shoulder-pounding shells designed specifically for turkeys, it packs one heck of a punch.  Nonetheless, with opening day of turkey season around the corner, it was time to take my medicine.

Fortunately, the EOTech optic sitting atop my scattergun, made short work of the sighting-in session, thus minimizing shoulder abuse.  It just isn’t fun!

With that out of the way, I packed  my portable blind and headed afield to set it up.  Even though it will stand out like a beacon in the night to the whitetails, turkeys on the other hand just don’t see the conspicuous traps for what they are.

This season is shaping up as a unique one, as I’ve observed a group of 11 birds growing up together.  One adult hen and her offspring were once a tightly knit assembly of drumsticks but have since become scattered about.  The six males in the family unit always seemed to have promoted instability, as they chased each other in games of hierarchy.

But, now they have been pushed aside and chased away by bullies with beards.  Full-fledged gobblers now run with their chosen circle of hens, and that took some doing.  Just last week, two adult males were in mixed-martial-arts mania jumping into the air kicking and flapping.  When the aerobatics were complete, one gobbler finished the foray by running the loser out of sight.  Like everything else in life, there are winners and losers.

In the midst of the Corvid-19 pandemic chaos, I will head afield before dawn to watch and listen to the wild world waking up.  A little coffee, some welcome warmth from the propane heater, a cushioned seat and all the paraphernalia any turkey hunter could desire will be at my disposal.

There I will listen with my old ears and will remain hidden from the reality of the world’s troubles.  Within the confines of the blind, I will be one with my thoughts  – wherever they may lead.  What more could a person want?  Oh, sure a turkey dinner would be a nice reward but I may just prolong the adventure this time around.