Gas Pains

Tom grew up in Milwaukee, bartended in Wauwatosa in the '70s and moved here in 1984.

Commentary, observations and musings about the outdoors, life in general and maybe Tosa politics and personalities will be the order of the day. He savors a lively debate as much as terrific cooking.

Talk'n Turkey

Friends, Hunting, Talking Turkey

Sunday - 4.21.13 - 5:15 PM

I don't know about you but come spring this old man's thoughts turn to turkey hunting.  Occasionally I'll take a chance on a first season turkey hunt.  That can be a dicey proposition considering Wisconsin's fickle spring weather.  I skipped an early hunt in favor of a road trip so Jill and I could spend time with the kids and the grandkids.  Good thing on so many levels.

Ten days ago whilst I was savoring the warm weather and sunshine of the gulf coast with the kids -  Lawyer and Braumeister were battling the elements up at The Platz during a first season turkey hunt.

It was an epic struggle involving wind, rain, sleet, snow and flooding.  A handful of pictures speak a thousand words about the nasty conditions..

Suffice to say - they returned home empty-handed.  Nary a sighting of the wily, wild turkey.  They can take comfort in knowing their misery is shared with turkey hunters across the state.  Registration numbers imply that the first season harvest was off over last year by 39 percent.

Second season is a bit better.

Six Deuce killed a dandy gobbler on Friday only about 90 minutes into his first hunt ever.

Sid's only chance was when he was buttoned-up hiding from the biting wind on Sunday morning.  He was busted by a gobbler that cruised-in silently with his harem of four ladies.  He left today turkeyless.

Me?  As of the time I tapped-out this post I've only seen a couple of hens.  No jakes or gobblers.  Late today I was driven back to the house by temps falling as quickly as the barometer - accompanied by big wind gusts and ice pellets.  Yes, little pellets of ice that sting your face like needles.

Check-back later for an update.  In the mean-time here is Six Deuce's narrative about his first bird. 

Enjoy...

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Monday - 4.22.13 - 8:15 PM

Rained almost all day.  Caught a couple of (very) distant gobbles but couldn't lure the birds closer.  Saw not a single turkey.  Did listen to a pair of Eastern screech-owls engage in a back-and-forth with their vocalizations.  The goldfinches are back.  Jill hung-up a thistle feeder.  Tomorrow is the last hurrah. 

Tuesday - 4.23.13 - 10 AM

Was pouring rain (I mean really pouring) at 4:30 AM.  The only thing missing was thunder and lightening.   No point in slogging out in the field to get soaked while the birds hunker-down.  So I went back to bed.  Hurrah.  What an ignominious end to the season.  I oiled my trusty Mossberg .12 gauge turkey gun, locked it away in the gun safe, hung the cammo in the closet with care and went back out in the rain with the ATV to fetch the blinds.  The girls came along.  It's mud season after-all.  And when things dry-out I have a garden to plant.

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