An Outdoorsman’s Journal: The two-decade turkey hunt

Hello friends, This past week I spent five days hunting turkey, and each day was at a different location. This week’s column is more like a path down the last 21 years of some of my history as well as some people very important to me. As always, thanks for reading!

Wednesday, April 23 — High 62, low 40 Today would be day one of my seven-day turkey season, and I would be hunting on private land close to my home in northern Juneau County. For some reason, the turkey numbers have been dramatically reduced here, but I sure had a nice time hunting even though I did not see or hear a bird. The first time I hunted this property was 21 years ago with my stepson Travis Dushek.

Two toms came into our decoy setup. It was Trav’s first turkey hunt. He dusted one; I was going to let the second one go. The foolish bird started tearing into his fallen comrade and was tearing it up. I decided to punish it and so I whacked it. My daughter Selina and I put a food plot on the property and had incredible success with some really big birds, as Selina put the lights out on five big toms there. Michelle Chiaro was a woman who touches me in ways every day even though she passed away on June 15, 2022. Michelle’s only turkey was a 25-pound “piga-saurus” that she whacked on the food plot as well. Friday, April 25 Yesterday I hunted on public land and did not see or hear a turkey while hunting. This morning, I walked from my house long before daylight and hunted on the food plot that Michelle and I built. I probably put a hundred hours into building that plot, and Michelle and I spent many a “date night” by a campfire enjoying life there. I also witnessed Michelle harvest her first and only deer on that plot. On the hunting end today, I did not see or hear a turkey. I miss that woman! Monday, April 28 — High 76, low 41 I am hunting down the road from my home on a field rich with our turkey hunting history. Selina killed her first turkey here when she was 11 and it was a double beard, 25-pounder with 1 5/8-inch spurs. I watched all three of my stepsons harvest toms on it, as well as many youth hunters that I helped. On one experience I was with my stepsons Joey and Travis and we had two toms coming in. I was going to call when to shoot; Joe and Trav were aiming. Trav decided to shoot ahead of the plan and Joey had to and did make a phenomenal shot at a running tom. On another hunt I was with my stepson Kevin on a snowy morning. I helped Kevin get his first turkey that morning and when my chance was approaching, the hoodlum made some noise and no shot did I fire. No turkey were spotted or heard this morning.

Tuesday, April 29 — High 65, low 36 Today I would be in northern Juneau County in the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area hunting turkey where I run bear baits, near a place we call Selina’s stand! I heard her .30-06 go off when she harvested her first bear. Selina was 15 and earlier that day I watched her run in a cross country meet at Brookwood; a very positive day that was.

I have been part of several people’s first bear at that location. Today was the first time I hunted turkey at it and not a bird did I see or hear while hunting. Actually, I did not see or hear a bird during my seven-day hunting season.

Folks, if I had the time, I could write a book about the five places I hunted due to all of the incredible experiences I have shared with young hunters at them. My guess is you can understand that I really do not care that I did not see or hear a turkey during my hunt.

Sunset