On Sunday evening (10/17) I had a great opportunity to sit in a ground blind and scout for Jeff. I settled in about 4:45 and starting trying to slow my brain down and just enjoy. I told myself I would be happy to see a couple of squirrels and a bird or two. (Big lie, of course, but you try all the same. You're always hoping to see the "big one.") Finally, about 5:45 I had given up my pretense, largely because except for 2 flies, nothing in nature was even attempting to entertain me. I could hear birds behind me and see the evidence of squirrels in the trees, nuts were falling like crazy, but I saw nothing.
Then, I checked out the noise on my right - a gobbler!! I had never seen one in real life, this close up! They are taller than I had thought. He was so dark, he almost looked to be black. He had a beard hanging down (Jeff says that means its a gobbler, not a Jake) and he was eating away at bugs or corn, I'm not sure which. Turkeys are funny and this one suddenly jerked his head up and flapped his wings, then ran down the hill into the woods, completely out of sight. I watched and a couple of minutes later, he came right back up the exact same spot! He freaked out again and ran into the weeds and finally (according to the ruckus) ran down the hill into the woods, not to resurface.
I was so excited! A turkey, acting all crazy and close enough to really watch. Next, out of the woods popped a doe and her fawn, ready for the evening browse. Both walked out, stared straight at my blind, then twitched their tails and settled into the business of feeding. The fawn was completely engrossed in her nibbling, but momma would check my direction every so often, just making sure. Something spooked the doe and both scurried around the bend, out of sight.
What a night! Folks, if you have a chance to get outside and sit really still and watch - who knows what you'll see! Just go! By the way, if you get delicious meals in the process - woo hoo!!
