Chasing Thunder Chickens

Thunder chicken, hammerhead, boss tom and Mr. Waddles, are just some of the slang terms turkey hunters give to old, mature gobblers. One thing turkey hunters don’t lack is an imagination and the ability to have fun. -Bass Pro Shops, Turkey Glossary

My husband and I have more windshield miles under our belts than most, driven by a healthy dose of FOMO (fear of missing out). It's rare for us to turn down anything that might turn into an adventure, especially if it involves hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, or simply being outdoors. But, as with anything, we eventually hit a point of exhaustion after a long season of whitetail hunting, salmon fishing, snowmobiling, or whatever it was that kept us going. And yet, another season is always just around the corner. Right now, we're in a tiny bit of downtime, but not for long, because TURKEY SEASON is coming!

Given our go-go-go lifestyle, it’s not unusual to find either of us enjoying the outdoors with our eyes closed, breathing heavily, and catching a few Z’s in the fresh air. Turkey season is no different, especially for me. I’m not exactly a champion caller, and the sound of my own pot calls gives me goosebumps- like nails on a chalkboard (I just got goosebumps writing that… and again when I just read it while editing).

I love hunting with my husband and turkey hunting with him is one of my favorites! We walk through the woods before the season opens, listening for turkeys, and stumbling across other wildlife. I'm often doing more morel mushroom hunting than turkey scouting, but it's all about balance! Whether we spot turkeys, find mushrooms, or just enjoy the peace of the woods, every moment is a win.

With turkey season fast approaching here in Michigan, I thought I'd share a story from last spring, so without further ado:

Leading up to the opener last spring, my husband and I hadn’t seen or heard much- just a group of whitetails and a few owls as we did our pre-season scouting. But we did get excited when we spent several minutes calling and gobbling back and forth with some turkeys, only to realize, much to our amusement, that we were communicating with the neighboring farm's new turkeys in their fenced enclosure. Still, any day spent in the woods and getting excited about gobbles is a good day.

We woke up early and hunted hard that opening morning, moving around and chasing the morning gobbles. Eventually, we settled down with our backs to trees in the center of the property- a spot with plenty of visibility and a beautiful view. We called, listened, chatted, and, as always, enjoyed some snacks from our respective trees. But, ultimately, our only visitors were a handful of playful whitetail. So, after a quiet morning, we went home to regroup, eat some real lunch, and prepare for another attempt.

For the afternoon hunt, we opted for a strategy of less chasing and more waiting. We built a quick brush pile along the woodsline and sat on the ground with our backs against a massive oak tree. The tree was so wide that we were able to sit side by side, but still facing opposite directions, our shoulders just a few inches apart, but still able to whisper to one another.

The sun was trying to shine through the clouds, I was as comfortable as one can be while hunting from the ground (with the help of a turkey vest + seat), and my husband was calling for birds and acting as our lookout. Between the warmth of the sun, a soft spring breeze, a full stomach from lunch, and the quiet clucking and purring coming from my husband's calls, before I knew it… zzz.

My husband excitedly whispered that a nice tom was silently coming in behind us. I snapped to attention, fully alert, ready to deny my nap- until I saw that photo. With the large tree at our backs, I was able to grab my shotgun, turn around while hugging tight to the tree, and raise my gun to a nearly ready-to-shoot position- all without the turkey detecting me. I waited for my husband's cues as to where the bird was because with the tree there, I saw nothing. He whispered, “RIGHT THERE,” with a firm intensity.

I saw nothing. I heard nothing.

I scanned the woods in front of me and let my eyes drift further out. Turkeys blend into the brush well, and when I shifted my focus to the distance, I spotted two toms. Unfortunately, they were outside of range, and I couldn’t take an ethical shot through the brush. I whispered down to my husband, still sitting up against his side of the tree, telling him that the two birds were too far away and we'd need to wait for them to come in closer. He looked confused, but I told him that he should get his gun up, too, because we might be able to shoot a double!

Hindsight is 20/20 & so is my artistic ability on Microsoft Word.

"Two? What brush?" The disbelief, and a hint of impatience, on my husband’s face mirrored my own growing confusion. Through gritted teeth, he whispered: “The barrel of your gun is probably touching the bird by now!”

I looked back up and adjusted my focus to just a few yards in front of me. It wasn’t two seconds later that a mature tom walked into view from behind the large oak tree I was waiting behind. My husband was right, I was awfully close to being able to tap him on the head with my shotgun! I laughed, aimed, pulled the trigger, and high-fived my husband all in a matter of seconds.

Then I remembered that there were still two toms further out. Unfortunately, they scurried away before my husband had a chance to locate them and potentially make a move. But it made for a funny story as we each explained our viewpoints of the hunt from start to finish- my version being 90% the back of my eyelids.

As we walked out of the woods and back to the truck, my husband and I couldn’t stop laughing at the day’s events. It was just another reminder of how hunting is as much about the moments in between (the snacks, the naps, and the occasional confusion) as it is about actually harvesting game. We might not always agree on where the turkey is, but we do agree that the real trophy of hunting is the time spent together. Even if this hunt involved a bit more napping than usual.

So, with turkey season looming and us needing some rest in there too, I know one thing for sure: more naps in the woods are just around the corner!

Check out the Michigan DNR website for the Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations.