Outdoorsman’s Journal-,

An Outdoorsman’s Journal-,

Good Times on the Turkey Hunt

Hello friends, The best times I have had while turkey hunting, were while helping someone else get a turkey. This past week, I hunted with my 19-year-old daughter, Selina Walters, on a food plot near our Necedah home. Nine years ago, Selina and I created this food plot, which was literally an opening in an oak and pine forest.

Three years ago, this piece of paradise where Selina has harvested six of her eight toms, was sold, and we really lucked out when we recently were given permission to hunt it, for what would be Wisconsin’s second week of turkey season.

Wednesday, April 22 • High 51, Low 28

Two days ago, we put out our blind and set it up with chairs, a heater, good food, and when it came time to put some serious hours into it, Selina had her computer along. Because of COVID-19, Selina is doing online schooling through UW-Stevens Point, in fisheries and aquatic sciences, and let me tell you, as I am learning with many kids, it is not easy learning online, especially in some of the difficult subjects.

So, here is our general agenda in a turkey blind. We are in it before it gets light out, I make a couple calls at first light, with what used to be my dad’s Quaker Boy “Little One Sider” and today, on the first try, a tom gave us a gobble back.

My dad passed away back in April of 1994, and the weekend before he died, we camped together, hunted turkey and he used the One Sider. I was writing back then, just like I am now, and when he passed away, I lost my best friend.

In the morning, all we saw was one hen and in the afternoon, we saw the same hen. I can sit in our blind on this food plot and all I have is memories. I hunted what was just an opening in the forest, for the first time with my stepson, Travis Dushek, when he was 13. I was using a bow and Trav was using a 12-gauge.

Two toms came in, and Travis sent one to heaven and the other started kicking its dead comrade’s butt. I could not get a good bow shot, so I made an executive decision and whacked it with the shotgun. Travis is 28 now, and we still laugh about the suicide turkey.

Another time, Selina and I were hunting here, and three toms came in and actually started making advances at our jake decoy. Selina and I sent two of the lovers to the oven, and that was another memory that causes a lot of laughs.

I have always made Selina work around our place and when we were given permission to put in a food plot, we cut some firewood for the landowner each year, as well as gave him fish and eggs. Carving out a food plot with a rototiller, By Mark Walters

Turkey hunting is one of Selina’s favorite sports!

chainsaw and 5-gallon buckets for watering was work, but we had the best turkey hunting spot I knew of and Selina bow hunted it as well. We always kept trail cameras on it and after about a six months, it was literally a hub of activity for deer and turkey. The new landowners are great people and love to hunt, and have done an excellent job keeping the plot with vegetables for the deer and turkey.

Thursday, April 23 • High 53, Low 26

We put 10 hours in the blind yesterday, and were only in it two hours today, when out of the blue, we heard a gobble about 300 yards away and a minute later, our new friend gobbled even closer. I call about once every 10 minutes, just to let any unseen passersby know a lovesick hen is in the area.

The thrill of hearing a tom approach you cannot see, but is obviously talking to you, is incredible. When I first saw him, he was partially blocked by some corn stalks and I could see he was what we call a “Super Tom.” This guy looked like a black bear, with a red head and he was looking for love in all the wrong places. It took 10 minutes to coax him into range and Selina was smiling the entire experience. When the time was right, she put a 2-ounce load of four-shot into what I think is the biggest wild turkey I have ever lifted in my life and everything was perfect in our world.

As I have always said, hunt or fish with your kids, and you have friends for life! Sunset