Turkey hunting, a duel of patience

Spring has finally thawed me from semi-hibernation and activated my pre-planned ‘things to do’ list. Lawn cleared and trees/brush trimmed (check). Garden tilled and lightly limed for future planting (check).Chest freezer defrosted and cleaned spring and fall; always revealing forgotten packages. (check). Dry well cleaned and treated. (check). Wood delivered and stacked with more to come. (check). Turkey gear cleaned and ready to go. Ditto fly rods (check).

Turkey hunts in the a.m. and trout fishing in the p.m. often go hand-in-hand. Any May morning will find me on a mountain hillside or a wooded/field transition area attempting a duel with a tom. His gusty gobbles and calls vs. my attempts.

In darkness I await dawn mulling over my ‘things to do’ list as darkness slowly transforms odd shapes and blobs eventually materializing into trees, brush and boulders soon to be followed by forest rustling of small mammals and awakening chirps of birds. I turn off my ‘things to do’ channel and listen intently tuning to natures channel (hyper alert).

Perhaps it’s my time to produce a cluck or two, a subtle whine or a fly down to provoke a response. A gobble from tom signals beginning of a duel between us. He may come in fast, slow or quietly. If with roosted hens he’ll probably wander off with them unless I can entice a hen to my calling hoping he will follow.

Turkey hunting is a duel of patience and persistence. Tom usually wins and that’s okay with me. I win as well. We will meet another day for another duel, the sounds sights and colors of nature an added bonus.

God bless you patriotic readers and your families. Help one-another and get outdoors to enjoy nature’s offering: fresh air, exercise, bounty from your garden and color and sounds of flowers, blooms and birds.

Town of North East resident Larry Conklin is a Vietnam veteran and a member of both the Millerton American Legion Post 178 and the VFW Post 6851 in North Canaan, Connecticut.