This morning a new old mustard-colored truck (oxymoron?)--all stickered up with the usual pro-hunting affiliations we all belong to--was in "my spot" at "my farm." Almost had a hunch someone would be there with it all ending Sat., and rain forecast for tomorrow. The hunter likely saw that I've been living there lately, and seized the opportunity when I slept in! Next time out there I'll be buying some hay bales for my daily 20 minutes of summer bow shooting . . . I like to have stylish form when I miss New England turkeys in range each fall, doncha know.
Anyhow, I'm clearly in transition here . . . planning fall turkey hunts, and I just pounded out 1,500 wds. on the subject for a state mag. My Fall and Winter Turkey Hunter's Handbook will be out in August (Stackpole Books). Signed another turkey book contract for Spring '09 release. My wife is away for the next couple days at a Massachusetts workshop, so early hunts are out (5:07 sunrise today). Also I teach an all-day writing class on Sat., the last day of Maine. NH ends tomorrow at noon, my daughter's ninth b'day. Just mowed the yard that has been a jungle of late. Coming to a close on my terms, I guess.
Spring gravy hunts have indeed been excellent this late-season . . .
Legal birds (in both NH & Maine) I've let walk--the wet gobbler head I came up on in range, and found hunched under a tree in the slanting rain (didn't want to sucker punch him that way, and he ran second later). The gobbler I saw drifting slowly away thru the piney woods after I'd called him and his gobbling buddy in (in split-second iffy range), well after they'd eased away from my setup. The shootable fat jake with the 5-in. beard when I wanted his longbeard pard coming up from the rear (50-iffy range). All this marks me as some sort of purist I s'pose, but in truth I just wanted it all to last, or to get another bird in hand my way or no way.
Buddies have tagged birds, and we've had the usual excited conversations. I've put guys on turkeys I've found locally in pass-it-on mode as well, and with some success there--one involved a new hunter and his vet bud (what's with this generosity?). Heard a shot Monday where they were hunting. The two different Maine toms I wanted BADLY but that found a way to escape will stick with me forever. I haven't seen the one since mid month when a hen took him away, but the other was in birdy cover range and gobbling hard just this Monday.
It's all that late-season has to offer. The vest is still packed and ready to go but I'll empty it soon, I reckon--or just leave it that way until Sept. 15, the NH turkey opener (bow only). In a couple two-three weeks, the first poult sightings ought to be seen where I've recently hunted in Maine . . .
--Steve Hickoff
(Steve Hickoff photo)
