Struttin Toms Already

[Leatherstocking]

What a great day.

On the way to take my son to his youth archery class this morning we saw a flock of turkeys and one of them was in full strut. I can't wait until May

Then, in the afternoon while taking my dog for a walk a little excitement with some coyotes. One was barking and yipping a few hundred yards from us. Sounded real aggressive for a while and for a few moments I thought I might actually need to put my little Ruger LCP into service (and I wondered how a .380 would do on a coyote). Never did see him but he was close.

[The Hermit]

.380 will do the trick. I shot a coyote one night with a .38 S&W snubbie. I was walking back from my cabin in the woods and could hear him comming through the brush straight for me. I don't think he knew I was there in the trail. I flicked on my flashlight when he was about 15 feet away and pulled the trigger.
I got real lucky because I couldn't see the sights.
We have Toms out of the woods by my main cabin. I can see them in their roost some mornings.
Gotta get my smoker cleaned up and ready to use.
Enjoy your son while you can. Next thing you know, he'll be off to college. Time flies.

   The Hermit

[Leatherstocking]

Thanks Hermit. I know what you mean. They are growing up way too quickly. As I write this, both of my guys are in the woods out back with their BB guns. I'm having fun watching them. My older boy and I are doing a pronghorn hunt in WY this fall. I figure we gotta' do it while I am still in good enough shape to enjoy and he is still into it (before he discovers girls and other such dangerous things)

[The Hermit]

Great! What happens next is he will come to breakfast some morning sporting peach fuzz under his nose, then all bets are off.      Have fun.


    The Hermit

[thejeeper]

Sounds like fun! WY should be awesome. I have had the same turkeys on my property , year after year, season after season. I usually harvest one or two a year, but have watched the broods grow into some spectacular birds. Look at the colors in the wing feathers on my avatar. I harvested him last May 1st. He was 3 years old and I watched him grow since he was a Jake! They usually start the pecking order in January, which brings the strutting and other goofiness that the makes do. March usually begins the mating rituals. You will start to hear gobbling in about two weeks and it will peak in April. I also cannot wait. My favorite game animal period. I have five longbeards and 7 jakes this year. I hope they hang around for the courting!