This bird now tops the In-State leader board.
Photo by Scott McEnaney
So we are nearly two weeks in to our VT Turkey Season, and the Orvis Turkey Pool is showing some stiff competition. Scott McEnaney remains at the top of the heap with a long-spurred gobbler that clocked in at 58.625 points. This beauty pushed Reid Bryant and Bruce Woodruff out of contention, as these two gents tagged out early, and now have to focus their attentions on out-of-state birds.
The hunting here has gotten challenging, as gobblers seem to have “henned up” fairly tight, and are less likely to be prospecting for mates. The morning woods are fairly quiet, and as the New England forest begins to leaf out, hunters are finding that they need to walk farther and hunt harder to hear and be heard.
It’s a beautiful time of year to be out. The hayfields have taken that miraculous turn from straw-brown to vibrant green, and the unfurling leaves give a softer texture to the hillsides. The ramps and fiddleheads are in their prime, and dusk is full of peents and twitters, as the woodcock perform their springtime ritual. Mushroom foraging will soon distract us from our hunting.
With regard to the standings, a few days remain for ballots to be cast. Voters should take notice, though, of the talent still remaining in contention. Dave Perkins is always a contender, and vote for him is never a poor choice. Dave ALWAYS posts a good bird or two, and he’s willing to go the distance. Jordan “Gun” Smith has some great strutting ground near his home west of Manchester, and he’s taken on that wild-eyed look of a mid-season turkey hunter. With a wife and son jockeying for birds as well, Jordan is driven to get out and stake his claim. Simon Perkins, with a bird on the books already, is taking the casual approach. That said, he seems to take longer-than-usual morning coffee breaks, and returns to the office with muddy sneakers. Interesting.
So cast your ballots, and cheer on your contender. There’s still more than 50% of the season remaining, and plenty of time for some unwitting gobblers to make terrible judgment calls. We’ll keep you posted as they do.