It's a wrap! The Turkey season for me and the rest of Michigan is now in the books!
I think I would call it a success based on a few different aspects of the hunting season. Going back a week or so ago, over what happen on that Saturday. My cousin Bryan and I headed out nice and early, settling in with a nice warm morning. The mosquitoes were out and about but we managed and we started calling at first light. We got one gobble and he sounded like he was back at the truck! After a few hours, we got nothing to come in and decided to move out for some breakfast. We started our walk out and we checked a field and sure enough, we see heads running the other way! Darn it! They got held up about 75 yards away and never came closer.
We then headed out and re-grouped for an afternoon hunt. With temps into the 70's, it was going to be a warm one out there. We set up our new spot and settled in and starting calling. Within 5 minutes, we had a gobbler talking back to us. He was, unfortunately, behind us in the woods across the field, so we shifted around and starting working him. It took all of an hour but he worked his way out into the field and walked towards us. He got to about 40 yards and stayed there and walked right by us down the middle of the field. He was just out of Bryan's range and we watched him walk by.
It was an exciting event to call him in and was worth the day's hunt. So we left feeling like we got one just not with the gun.
The evening hunt was another adventure. This time, I was sitting with my two daughters. The way we set up was me sitting with Erica and Kelly sitting a few feet away doing the calling. We set up and she started.
Within a few minutes she heard something behind her and when Kelly turned to see what it was, she saw the head of a gobbler and he called, too. Kelly responded for the next 45 minutes. They talked back and forth. He sounded as if wanted to come out but he never did. We figured he just walked the other way and again, we called it a success, seeing Kelly called in another bird but we just did not connect.
The following day Erica and I were out during the day and nothing happened. We set up for the evening hunt and no sooner than when we sat down, a Hen goes off across the field. We look at each other like "what the heck "! A few minutes later, we looked up to see a hen flying down the middle of the field into the woods. That would be the only thing we saw for the evening.
On Thursday evening we set out again. Erica, Kelly and I, we set up and we forgot the Thermacell. OOPS! Big OOPS! We lasted 5 minutes before we ran out of the woods and back to the house to get it. Then we returned and had it cranked up and it was all good now, but the night would end with nothing. That would be the last couple times we got out for the season.
We had a great time and I loved spending the time with my two girls. Seeing them in the field hunting brought a smile to my face
As for the season as a whole, I think it was a good one and can't wait for next year to see what happens. From calling in a bird to having the girls out there with me and sharing, with family, the turkey hunting season in this Great Lake State of Michigan!
