Woman Midwest-style

It's a wonder there's any game in these woods at all bein's it's wicked wilderness so thick with brush you can't see past thirty yards..   Big deer abound in river bottoms and its hillsides, often coming into the upper fields to feed at night, there at Urich Conservation Area . Flocks of turkey roost in the oaks and tall sycamore trees in the surrounding flood-prone bottoms that more resembles a swamp than a creek. We were after those birds. A few years back in the fall, I guess my husband just wanted to show me around so he motioned me to stay close -- we didn't split up -- alright by me, I didn't want to wander by myself till I knew the area better. T oo easy to get lost in t hose bottoms, gave me the willies.   We hiked down the steep, bare path winding into the creek basin, shotguns in hand,  turkey hunting in the swamp during a dry spell.  Obviously my husband had hunted this before; Ed knew the way, was surefooted, not slowin

        Early afternoon turkey hunting. Words can't show the beauty of Missouri woods. I saw two deer feeding in soybean fields. No birds, it's late in season but I WALKED nice n slow, happy after a broken ankle. A bit of drizzle didn't ruin my day- it smelled fresh. Wet alfalfa smells sweet. Usual crop fields are fallow this year.   I found a licking branch above a scrape and fresh tracks walking along the tractor path mowed months before.  U sually prime turkey hunting i f the weeds hadn't been so tall..        No other hunters bumped into my path, no dogs ran through to startle a flock of birds  my way . I watched an eagle fly, squirrels running up and down trees and a hawk caught one.  The squirrel didn't let out a sound as the hawk swooped in and snatched it off the tree.       My foot got sore, I rested, drank cold coffee. Texted my husband I was headed home after one last hunt. Be safe he replied (from his tree stand).              We

It doesn't matter whether it's spring or fall, Merriam or Eastern or Rio Grande or Osceola, turkeys are tough to hunt.  Their eyes are so keen.   If you can see them without binoculars, they can easily pick you out of the edge of the timber unless you act like a tree.  Stand so still until you feel like you've grown leaves.  Unless your clothes have been treated with non-­UVA detergent, a turkey's vision can still pick you out of the timber...  Yes, from that distance, their wary eyes are as good as your 'binocs' and closely match a raptor's vision in relation to picking up movement several hundred yards away, as across a 100 acre corn field or from their roost above that same field.  Turkeys also are not color blind, hence the reference for the necessity to wash your huntin’ duds in special hunting laundry soap that is formulated to minimize the intense colors of fabrics and human odor.     "The retinas of turkeys have seven dif

Big Creek  It's a wonder there's any game in these woods at all bein's it's overrun by the locals during gun season.  It's a little wicked wilderness so thick with brush you can't see past thirty yards..   But big deer abound in river bottoms and its hillsides, often coming into the upper fields to feed at night. And flocks of turkey roost in the tall oaks and sycamore trees in the surrounding flood-prone bottoms that more resembles a swamp than a creek.  We were after those birds.     A few years back in the fall, I guess my husband just wanted to show me around so he motioned me to stay close -- we didn't split up.  Alright by me, I didn't want to wander by myself till I knew the area better.  Those bottoms are too easy to get lost, gave me the creeps.   We hiked down the bare path winding into the creek basin, shotguns in hand,  turkey hunting in the swamp during a dry spell.  Obviously Ed knew the way, he was surefooted, not slowin