Pennsylvania Game News - May 2015 - 59

Turkey Country

I grew up in deer country, and I always considered myself fortunate for the everyday
opportunity to watch whitetails, and hunt them when the season rolled around.
My dad, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.
Dad grew up in an area so devoid of deer that, on one rare occasion, a spike buck
was struck by a vehicle and killed, and people came from miles around just to see it.
Deer-country natives like myself might find that strange. But, stranger yet, according
to the reading from Dad's rangefinder, the front door of the house in which I grew up
is exactly 214 yards from the front door of the house in which he grew up.
I guess it goes to show how fast wildlife populations can take hold.
So maybe it's no surprise, a generation later, my kids are enjoying an opportunity I
never had the good fortune to experience: They're growing up in turkey country, in the
same area of York County their father, grandfather and many more before them grew up.
I've never been much of a turkey hunter, though the very first hunt I remember tagging along on was during the fall season. Of course, this took place away from home.
Rounding a bend on a logging road, I saw three birds scamper away ahead of us. Dad
was our lone gunman because I was too young, and we never were able to bring the
birds back.
But that experience helped me to understand that good turkey hunting existed in
Pennsylvania, just not in my backyard. Back then, seeing a turkey near home was a
novelty not unlike the road-killed spike buck from Dad's youth.
I remember my grandfather saw a gobbler one spring, and it was the talk of the
church behind which he saw it. Even then, everyone just assumed the bird had been
released. Nobody believed we had wild birds living nearby. The fact the gobbler didn't
seem to stick around long served to bolster that belief.
As I grew older though, things began changing. Even when I wasn't seeing birds, I
was hearing from plenty of people who were. Flocks began popping up in places. And
before long, you never knew when or where you might see a turkey.
On a few days, in fact, I had them - literally - in my backyard.
Give credit to the Game Commission's trap-and-transfer program and groups like the
National Wild Turkey Federation, whose hard work helped to improve turkey habitat
in the southern reaches of the state.
Last year during the statewide spring gobbler opener, I took time to experience
my native "turkey country," and quickly remembered why I've never been much of a
turkey hunter - I can't sit on the ground for 10 minutes without my legs falling asleep.
Unfortunately, the young hunter by my side found out the trait has been passed to
him, as well. We were a mess. But the hunting was great - gobbling at dawn, a gunshot
nearby, a longbeard on full display at 200 yards and increasingly vocal as the morning
went on - it truly was wonderful.
And it's an opportunity I never would have guessed I'd have. I certainly will seize it
again this spring, when I intend to enjoy York County turkey country from the comfort
of a camouflaged folding chair.

Travis Lau

MAY 2015

Pennsylvania Game News - May 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - May 2015