Before We Learned to Call Turkeys in Close, We Hunted with Rifles

This story, “Turkeys of the Tall Peaks,” first ran within the Could 1948 subject of Out of doors Life

THE INSTANT we reached the crest of the rocky, knife-sharp ridge, we noticed the turkeys. However they’d noticed us first and had been darting by means of the Arizona brush, heads low, necks outstretched, lengthy legs flashing — pulling a quick get-away. 

“We gained’t get an honest shot,” lamented Ralph. “Perhaps we’d higher shoot into ’em anyway. Make ’em scatter!” 

Simply then a heavy gobbler made the error of attempting to cross a small clearing. Ralph let loose a low, happy, “Ahha,” as he introduced his sights on the bronze magnificence. “Wham!” went the rifle, and an ideal bathe of feathers erupted into the skinny mountain air. 

“I received ’im! I received ’im!” whooped Ralph. On the shot, the flock took to the air in wild, frenzied flight, and I used to be about to touch upon the truth that the birds had been properly scattered when Ralph instantly jerked up his rifle and squalled, “Hey, my chook’s solely wounded!” 

Earlier than he may let drive with one other shot, the gobbler dived right into a near-by thicket and disappeared from sight. “I’ll get ‘im,” puffed Ralph as he sprinted after the nice chook. 

Joe, our rancher host, and I went over to try the pile of feathers. The rancher shortly opined, “Ralph ain’t going to get that turkey. He didn’t even hit ’im!” 

“Nuts!” I scoffed. “Didn’t I see him hit the chook? Didn’t the bullet knock this tubful of feathers from him?”

“Yeah, you’re proper in regards to the feathers,” admitted Joe, “however take take a look at ’em. They’ve been clipped off neatly no less than an inch or two from the conceal!” 

Joe was proper. Each feather was clipped quick; the bullet should have gone the size of the chook’s physique chopping feathers and never as soon as drawing blood! I hollered Ralph again, and my pal was scarcely in sight when he known as, “You guys discover ’im?” 

“No,” I returned, “however you’d higher come and skim a tragic message.” 

After inspecting each feather he may discover, Ralph regarded carefully for blood, discovered none — and eventually admitted that he’d didn’t hit the bullseye on the gobbler. 

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“Plenty of of us make the identical mistake,” Joe identified. “They overlook that a number of feathers encompass all that scrumptious turkey meat!” 

“Oh, properly,” mentioned Ralph, taking out his yelper, “I did deed anyway; I scattered ’em all around the mountains. Now we will name ’em up — and keep in mind. we will get two apiece this yr.” 

Joe shook his head. “Certain, a caller will work — generally — however you’ve over regarded the truth that there’s greater than a delicate breeze blowing. The air currents that whip out and in about these excessive factors will both carry the sound away or throw it proper again in your face. Higher overlook your yelper, and we’ll go hunt up one other flock.” 

Ralph sat down, again to a widetrunked pine. “You guys go forward. Me, I’m sticking proper right here. Why, I’ve hunted for days simply to get a flock cut up up so I may name ’em in!” 

Joe grinned good-naturedly, shouldered his rifle, and turned to me. “Come on,” he mentioned, “it’s solely 9 o’clock. There’s loads of time to go searching and shock a number of flocks.” 

Turkeys Have been Mountain-Smart 

So Joe and I left Ralph, to proceed the hunt as we’d deliberate. There was a wonderful acorn crop within the decrease nation and the turkeys had been visiting the dense thickets every day, however it was nearly unattainable to get a shot on the cautious birds within the heavy brush. We suspected that every night the mountainwise turkeys had been touring appreciable distances uphill to roost, and we’d been on our technique to the upper nation once we stunned the flock that Ralph was now decided to name in. 

After a brief, stiff climb, we got here to а pine-dotted bench that adopted round beneath an ideal granite rim. We positioned a number of spots the place outdated droppings littered the bottom, however not a recent roosting place did we discover. 

Lastly Joe mentioned, “Perhaps we’d higher drop over to the best and work a few of these little coves. Turkeys like to hang around in such locations on windy days.” 

Effectively, we headed for the coves, and I realized that “dropping over” meant easing round wall-like cliffs, with nothing however skinny air between us and the bottom, half a mile under. To say the miniature parks had been secluded can be placing it mildly, and I remarked, “Boy, if there are any turkeys right here, they certain gained’t know what a person appears to be like like. They should be straightforward selecting.” 

“Mountain turkeys aren’t any pushovers,” warned Joe, “whether or not they’ve ever seen a human or not. They’re born with loads of brains in these purple-black heads!” 

And the rancher was proper. We labored the primary cove and noticed recent signal — however no turkeys. One thing tells me these cautious rascals noticed us and gave us the slip. We continued on to the following cove — and our luck instantly modified. We had been easing alongside like shadows, benefiting from each stalwart pine, when instantly Joe grabbed my arm, gave it a squeeze, and pointed towards a skinny patch of oaks, 100 yards forward. Immediately there got here a pointy “Purrt! Purrt!” and the turkeys had been gone, as solely turkeys can evaporate when one in all their quantity sounds the alarm. 

Joe and I rushed ahead, rifles at prepared, hoping to get a snapshot because the birds scurried up the slope. A deer can get round within the mountains with velocity and ease, however it takes a turkey to scale the steepest partitions of rock shortly, simply and with out exhibiting himself or making the slightest noise. Realizing this, I ended as quickly as I noticed which manner the birds had been heading and picked out a small opening on the base of a mass of towering boulders 200 yards away. If luck was with me, a few birds would absolutely expose themselves after they topped out. It might be an extended shot — and a quick shot, however it might be higher than no shot in any respect.

A Fortunate Shot

The moment I noticed the opening, three wonderful gobblers got here from the oaks at a lifeless run and raced madly across the boulder. These operating rascals had made it to the crest faster than I’d anticipated, and I barely managed to get in a shot on the final chook, a plump younger gobbler. On the bark of my rifle, the turkey pitched on its head and drummed the bottom along with his highly effective wings. 

“That’s good capturing,” beamed Joe. It was a fortunate shot, I knew, however once we climbed as much as get the chook, we discovered that the bullet had severed the turkey’s neck — a fortunate shot, certainly! 

Because the wind had settled a bit, I prompt that we stick round and attempt to name up the birds. 

“Don’t imagine it should work,” Joe mentioned. “The birds didn’t scatter a lot, so that they’ll go a great distance earlier than they cease. And simply because it’s calm right here on this cove ain’t no signal the wind ain’t howling throughout us.” 

Joe’s argument sounded fairly sound however, because it was lunchtime, I talked him into stopping to eat our sandwiches.

Effectively, we ate and rested up a bit. Then, after we’d taken it straightforward for greater than an hour, I started sending out seductive calls. I might name, decide up my rifle, and wait; name, decide up my rifle, and wait. Not one reply did I get. I used to be lastly compelled to confess that turkey calling, the deadliest trick recognized to turkey hunters, is on no account sure-fire in Arizona’s spirelike mountains. 

After I’d been stumped by the acoustics, Joe and I labored out two extra coves, then dropped down and started looking the brushlands. And it was within the thick brush that Joe noticed a flock and bagged a fats hen. How his bullet ever reached the chook with out being deflected by twigs, I’ll by no means know. As with my shot, luck was an vital issue, little doubt. 

It was not but sunset once we reached camp with our turkeys. Ralph had beat us in, so we went over to do some gloating. To our shock, Ralph merely glanced at our birds and mentioned, “Fairly good, however why didn’t you decide ’em larger?” 

This was like a shot of chilly water within the face, and Joe retorted sarcastically, “I assume you can do higher!” 

Ralph lifted an eyebrow. “Yep. I may — and did. Check out that child hanging within the tree.” 

Joe and I regarded — and gulped, eyes bulging. A giant gobbler hung there, his metallic-hued feathers glittering within the night mild. 

“Don’t inform me you known as ’im in on that windy level?” gasped Joe. 

“No, I didn’t,” admitted Ralph. “Once I couldn’t get a solution, I made a decision to scout round. And did I make a discovery!” 

“Don’t inform us you discovered a selection turkey roost and killed that gobbler proper in the course of the day!” 

“Nope, I didn’t discover a roost. Don’t must. I received a system that beats that.” That was an excessive amount of for Joe. “Pay attention,” he pleaded, “we’re sorry we left you. We admit you’re one of the best turkey hunter within the crowd. Now inform us what it’s all about!” 

Ralph had us the place he needed us — and was decided to benefit from it. “You guys assure to do all of the camp chores, and I’d take you out tomorrow,” he parried. 

Joe turned to me. “That’s a wonderful howdy-do,” he mentioned flatly. “Right here I’ve lived in these hills all my life, and a dude is available in and reveals me up — kills the most important gobbler I ever noticed.” 

“Dumb luck,” I mentioned. 

“Hold your shirts on,” suggested Ralph, “till you understand what you’re speaking about!” 

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Effectively, Joe and I had been up lengthy earlier than daylight and had breakfast prepared earlier than Ralph would come from the covers. Nonetheless, my pal was pretty much as good as his phrase and, when he noticed a strip of pink within the east, mentioned, “Come on, you guys. Let’s go. It’s greater than a mile to the place we take up our stand.” 

Joe and I shouldered our rifles and silently adopted at Ralph’s heels, decided to razz the socks off him if he didn’t ship the products. We plowed by means of the brushlands and got here to a slender, steep-walled canyon. We had scarcely entered the gorge when Ralph pointed to a clump of pines and mentioned, “Effectively, right here we’re. We’ll take up our stand over there and maintain a pointy watch on the alternative facet. Some turkeys’ll be coming down fairly quickly!” 

A scant seventy-five yards distant, a small ledge jutted out into the mattress of the canyon, and Joe demanded, “Which manner they coming; above the rocks or down the sandy stream mattress?”

“Above the rocks, in fact,’ Ralph answered. “That’s the explanation I picked this spot to attend. We are able to decide ’em off after they present up there.” 

“Oh properly,” Joe mentioned resignedly, “I’ve been on snipe hunts earlier than!” 

“Hold quiet,” Ralph whispered; “or the turkeys’ll hear you!” 

For the higher a part of an hour we sat, our backs in opposition to timber, rifles throughout our knees. Then it occurred. A small black head popped above the rocks — adopted by one other, and nonetheless one other. Turkey heads, they had been — and the cagy birds had stopped to look issues over earlier than exposing themselves. I held my breath, instinctively attempting to make myself smaller. 

We didn’t have lengthy to attend. The foremost turkey stepped into the open, lifting every foot slowly and putting it on the bottom gently, as if he figured each enemy was outfitted with airplane-detector ears. The remainder of the flock adopted, like dark-coated ghosts. 

“Take ’em,” whispered Ralph. 

The third chook was an impressive trophy. I introduced my sights on him simply the place his neck joined his physique. “Now,” I breathed, and two rifles exploded as one. 

I noticed my chook sit on his tail feathers and spin round and round, drumming his wings like a rooster with its head off. One other wonderful gobbler hit the bottom and lay nonetheless, lifeless earlier than he knew what struck him. The remainder of the flock darted up the slope, holding to the oaks and never as soon as exposing themselves. 

Not till the thrill was over did I notice that solely two had fired. “Who received the opposite one?” I requested. 

Ralph replied shortly, “Joe did. I didn’t shoot.” 

“What’s the matter — weren’t these infants ok for you?” 

“They had been fairly good,” admitted Ralph, “however there’s no hurry. I’d get a much bigger one a little bit later. Anyway I needed you fellows to you should definitely fill your tags.” 

This speak didn’t set too properly with Joe. I heard him mutter once more that it’s a wonderful howdy-do when a dude will get so picky. 

We collected our birds and I prompt that we attempt to name in a straggler, however Ralph mentioned, “We solely have another to get — and there’s one other place I wish to strive, simply half a mile over the hill, at one other canyon.” 

“Let’s go,” mentioned Joe. “I don’t know the way you do it, however lead on. I’d study one thing.” 

“You’ll study one thing, all proper,” Ralph promised, “if I assume proper once more.” 

Had Them Figured Proper

We went to the canyon, however Ralph wasn’t in a rush to take up his stand. We ate our sandwiches and loafed round till the solar was properly on its westward swing. Lastly Ralph mentioned, “We’d higher get out of sight. Some turkeys may be coming this manner.” 

This time Joe and I stored our counsel, and Ralph chosen a small oak patch close to a rocky level. This time, nonetheless, he confronted down the canyon. 

“I start to odor a mouse,” Joe mentioned, “however I can’t determine the way you do it.” 

“Don’t overwork your mind,” suggested Ralph. “If I assume proper once more, I’ll allow you to in on the key.” 

Effectively, he definitely had these birds figured proper. We had been hidden little greater than an hour when a flock of turkeys streamed above the ledge and single-filed up the canyon. I counted fourteen wonderful birds. Ralph picked out an enormous, long-bearded gobbler, a really magnificent chook, and dropped him in his tracks. The rest of the flock flew out up the canyon and had been quickly misplaced from sight. 

“Effectively,” beamed Ralph, “that’s what I name an actual turkey hunt! I like my birds to have loads of good, golden fats, and each my gobblers are as heavy as they arrive.” 

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“Yeah,” mentioned Joe, “however how’d you understand the turkeys had been coming?” 

“Oh, that,” grinned Ralph, as if the topic was one thing he’d forgotten about. “Effectively, once you guys left me yesterday, I received to figuring that if the turkeys had been roosting uphill, they’d need to journey to and from their feeding grounds. I discovered that they did, too — and made neat little trails within the doing! Come over and I’ll present you!” 

We went over and certain sufficient, there was a small, slender path main above the ledge. “The turkeys journey single file more often than not,” defined Ralph, “and so they maintain to cowl as a lot as doable. That’s the explanation I chosen the stands close to ledges; the little paths are plainer the place the birds go above the obstructions to maintain from exposing themselves a lot.” 

Joe turned to me. “It’s a wonderful howdy-do,” he mentioned, “when two fellers are as thickheaded as you and me.” 

“You mentioned it,” I agreed.

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