Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.
You don’t have be crazy to sit inside a turkey blind in 84-degree summer heat; but it sure doesn’t hurt either. I was reminded of this fact the moment the sun hit the blind’s canvas and the inside temperature began to soar. Within minutes, my temporary abode had gone from a comfortable observation site to a full blown summer sauna. The growing misery was worth it though. Out front, a lonely late season gobbler was going crazy. Music to my ears; his rattling calls were echoing through the steamy woodland.
Lured by the prospect of finding feathered companionship, the bird continued his approach until I could vaguely make out his form through the dense foliage. The June understory had become too thick and too tall to place a decoy; but in this case it didn’t matter – the gobbler had me pinpointed and was on his way. At twenty yards or so, the turkey became fully committed and rushed my position. Drawing ever closer, the tom suddenly became suspicious and hit the brakes. Standing eye to eye with my camera lens, the gobbler began to smell a rat. Where was the hen? After briefly surveying the situation, the long bearded Timber Ghost silently melted back into the greenery.
Tom Cope
Sue Wilkinson
Susan Judkins Josten
Rudi Roeslein
Elyssa McFarland
Mark Langgin
Adam Janke
Joe Henry
Kristin Ashenbrenner
Joe Wilkinson
Dr. Tammy Mildenstein
Sean McMahon