Kansas Turkey Adventures

We are down to the final weekend of the season, rain is forecast for everyday and it's dance recital weekend. There may be time for one more Hail Mary attempt for Katie, Aaron and myself.

The suburban flock that I watch is looking the quite weather weary themselves. I hope that the nesting hens and the already/soon to be hatched chicks make it through this wet weather.
 

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Here's hoping that these really are pawpaws. Lots of trees seen deep in the understory of the woodlands lining several creeks, these may be the first fruits I have seen.
 

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Here's hoping that these really are pawpaws. Lots of trees seen deep in the understory of the woodlands lining several creeks, these may be the first fruits I have seen.[/QUOTE

You are going to be disappointed. . .those are Buckeye's. . .they are a neat tree. Inside that hull, later in the year will be a polished looking "buckeye" they are very pretty. . .not to be eaten though! My grandpa use to carry one in his pocket all the time, said they were good luck.
 
Oh boy! Thanks for the heads up!

Is this where THE Ohio State nickname comes from then?
 
As the season ended on May 31st and I still have both my permit and tag unfilled in my wallet, some would say that I had an unsuccessful season. I on the other hand feel very fulfilled as I review how everything unfolded this spring. I got to be with my favorite hunters ( all three kids went out with me and got to experience early dawn gobbling), and we had some really fine conversations and bonding times.

Last years newb turkey hunter and I both struck out at the hayfield of last years thread :
http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=258728 It seemed as if the birds roosted north or south of us, and never could we get them interested in coming to join our little flock of non moving decoys. In the end, our one tom taken by Aaron this year was a public land bird, which by the way, will win the bet with his roommates from India, earning him the title of India's best turkey hunter, and the grand sum of 500 rupees. ($8).

This tom represents my best chance to get a tom ( after deciding several times to not take a half chance at several jakes)........if I had punched the gas pedal, he could have been mine!
 

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Success in the field certainly does not have to mean the filling of tags. I have some very memorable and joyful times spent in the field and not tagged an animal.

Congrats on a very fine enjoyable season chasing birds and spending time with loved ones.

Those birds just wanted to fatten up for you for this fall anyway.
 
Many mornings I leave early for work to allow myself time to drive through a local neighborhood that is home to a burgeoning suburban turkey flock. As I remind myself, having a turkey adventure isn't dependent on when Kansas says I am allowed to hunt turkeys.
 

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Suburban turkeys hanging out at the street corner, looking for trouble.
 

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South central Kansas is having so much wet weather it is changing the record books. Wheat harvest looks ready to start any day now, but the field conditions will not allow combines and associated vehicles access to the fields anytime soon. We need some of those 90+ degree days with a steady 10-15 mph breeze to dry things out. Meanwhile in the turkey world, the seed heads are a-poppin' and the buggin' should be good for the new hatchlings. Plenty of hiding cover and food. We just need to let them dry out and not get hypothermia or drown.
 

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South central Kansas is having so much wet weather it is changing the record books. Wheat harvest looks ready to start any day now, but the field conditions will not allow combines and associated vehicles access to the fields anytime soon. We need some of those 90+ degree days with a steady 10-15 mph breeze to dry things out. Meanwhile in the turkey world, the seed heads are a-poppin' and the buggin' should be good for the new hatchlings. Plenty of hiding cover and food. We just need to let them dry out and not get hypothermia or drown.

These years with a lot of flash flooding are typically the worst for polt mortality. Not too late for a late hatch but we still need things to dry up.
 
It's getting tougher to find "my" birds with the recent rains pushing up maximum growth.
 

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We have finally reached the century mark (100 degrees) in south central Kansas for the first time this week. When I ran into these birds, they seemed happy finding shade and working their wattles and beaks as if trying to move more air, almost like a dog would do while panting.
 

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The bachelor's groups are out and about. No sightings of hens over the last two weeks, and I am still awaiting my first poult sighting.
 

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A very strong storm blew through yesterday afternoon dropping inches of rain in several hours. Driving through the suburban turkey heaven I found these two hens and their poults. It seemed as if there were more than a dozen young turkeys running around working the seed heads and shaking every so often trying to dry out. They looked about the height of bantam chickens, and I wondered if they had reached the size where they could fly. With more rain coming through the week, it would be nice to get up into come cedar tree to get out of the rain/wind.

As I was watching this little flock of domestic tranquility, I saw the two hens turn to start walking away from me, I heard one of them give a turkey whistle (DANGER, FREEZE!!) and a half second later all the poults disappeared from sight, sinking down into the tall grass. They really are still there in this picture, just not visible anymore.
 

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I found these three hens and their poults in a horse pasture drying out after the latest thunderstorm.

Flash floods on the turnpike in the Flint Hills caused multiple crashes and swept at least one car off the road.
 

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.......after a little siesta it was time to go get after some seed heads, and pick up a bug or two....
 

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