Star Journal

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

logo

Star Journal

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
Outdoors
Home›Outdoors›Talking turkey, and bears, and birds

Talking turkey, and bears, and birds

By StarJournal
March 24, 2017
506
0
Share:

BY ROGER SABOTA
Special to the Star Journal

After returning from Texas to Wisconsin my thoughts have turned from fishing Black Drum to outdoor activities available here. Since deer season has been over for a long time and I don’t ice fish at this time of the year my thoughts have turned to turkey season and some of the hunts from past seasons.

As we left the pick-up early in the morning a faint glow was apparent in the western sky.

Our goal was to shoot a turkey gobbler. We were located in west-central Wisconsin in farm country. Tom Twesme (The Osseo Jinx) was my partner and we were hunting on land he farmed at one time. We walked across a large field and set up our blind and decoy. The blind was a pop-up tent that blended into the brush where we were going to sit.

For each of the past four years Tom has shot a tom turkey from this blind. We were pleased where we were sitting that there were no mosquitoes to bother us.

As we sat in the thick brush we had the privilege of watching three deer that were eating in the field we were watching. The deer appeared to be a doe and two fawns. In the Rhinelander area we had not seen any does with twin fawns that year.

Tom pulled out his turkey call and began calling. It didn’t take long and he had several toms answering him. As we watched a corner of the field we observed a tom strut out onto the field. At the same time a hen turkey appeared on the same field. Of course our hope was to get a shot at the tom we had been watching. The hen turned and walked into the brush followed closely by the tom. Perhaps a half hour later another tom came onto the field. Both of us started calling and the tom literally ran toward our decoy.

This may have been one of the young bears that came out of hibernation a little early a year ago.

The tom was about 20 yards from us challenging the decoy. He seemed to enjoy the last strut he made just prior to the shot that “The Osseo Jinx” made. That was the climax for the first two days of turkey hunting two years ago. My tag was filled on the last day of hunting. I have been turkey hunting for about eight years and seem to like it better each year.

If you are planning to hunt turkeys, as with any shooting sport, be sure of your target. There have been some incidents of hunters being shot as they sat at the base of a tree while waiting for a turkey. Doesn’t seem likely but it happens.

For those who are still interested in obtaining a turkey permit for the spring season all remaining permits for all zones will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis on Saturday, March 25. Additional information can be found on the DNR website at dnr.wi.gov – key word turkey or call 1-888-936-7463.

I have heard much speculation about bear in the area and whether or not they are still hibernating. After consulting with a local bear expert I can report that at this time most of the bear are still hibernating. There may be a few “teenagers” out running around but the sows with cubs stay in their dens the longest. So if you see a bear in the near future it is probably one of the younger bears.

As we’ve heard from many people, bird feeders attract a variety of critters. The big pileated woodpecker sometimes takes over the feeder if the offerings are to his liking. When deer or bear are in the area they are often attracted to the feeders. Therefore, we are encouraged to take them down at night or risk the destruction of the feeder especially by bear that will usually very roughly bring it to the ground. We’ve seen a variety of ingenious attempts to keep the bears off the bird feeders. Some work some do not.
Longtime Northwoods outdoor enthusiast Roger Sabota writes a bi-monthly column for the Star Journal.

TagsOutdoor Notebook
Previous Article

Rhinelander parks task force begins work

Next Article

Cleary Foundation makes impact in Rhinelander

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • Outdoors

    Outdoor Notebook: Musky fishing in the Northwoods

    August 25, 2017
    By StarJournal
  • Outdoors

    Outdoor Notebook: Making short work of a long-anticipated bear tag

    September 23, 2016
    By StarJournal
  • Outdoors

    It’s that time of year when fawns and cubs begin to appear

    June 2, 2017
    By StarJournal
  • Outdoors

    Spring hearings draw a crowd

    April 21, 2017
    By StarJournal
  • Outdoors

    Open-water fishing, turkey hunting begins

    May 5, 2017
    By StarJournal
  • Outdoors

    Unusual sights and sounds of the Gulf

    March 11, 2016
    By StarJournal

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Star Journal is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

Timeline

  • January 27, 2021

    Shift in Health: Improve your health and fitness in 2021

  • January 27, 2021

    Obituary: Delores Alsteen

  • January 27, 2021

    Obituaries: James McLaughlin

  • January 27, 2021

    Obituary: Nancy Daniels

  • January 26, 2021

    OCSO recognized for work on internet crimes against children

Find us on Facebook

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe
Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×