Grouse Hollow Journal for May 4, 2017 by Greg Koelker
I had scrambled eggs with fried morels for breakfast one day last week and morels with a grilled New York Strip for supper Saturday night. Even though it is cold out this weekend, the morels are popping. While I only found a few on top of a ridge, Ellen found over a pound of the fabulous fungi on Saturday while hunting mostly steep hillsides. Neighbor Doug Strasser said he had already bagged 5 pounds, but like so many people, he can’t eat them because they make him sick so he gives them away or sells them.
On Saturday I was sitting on the four wheeler talking to my mom on my cell when a puppy came bounding up a nearby path followed by Doug. I got to meet their new silver labrador, Ed. Doug was cutting firewood in a nearby woods and had seen the four wheeler, so he took a break and came over to introduce Ed and visit a bit. Like all Labarador puppies, Ed is a beaut for sure.
I had a good week. I didn’t catch any fish, but I killed a wild turkey on Monday, went to a NASA banquet on Wednesday, and got to meet a Superbowl 31 era Green Bay Packer on Friday.
I had hunted a lot last week and had gobbling but shy toms all around me several times without seeing a single one to tag. On Monday I was going to substitute teach but got a call that I wasn’t needed. El and I were having breakfast with the kitchen windows open and we heard a bird gobbling right up behind the tobacco shed. I said I would take a walk and see if I could ambush it. After getting my camo clothing on, I took Wilma for a hike up the Grouse Hollow Path around the point of the hill below the still gobbling would be gigolo. I stayed quiet until I got almost on the ridge and then set up at the base of a huge old oak tree. I called a bit and the tom gobbled back, so I shut up and waited. Eventually, it gobbled but from farther away. I tried calling a bit more and just listened. The next thing I knew for sure was that it was almost two hours later. Good power nap anyway. There were no birds around me that I could hear or see, so I tried some radical, rowdy clucking, purring, and yelping for a bit and shut up again. I was about to get up and check a couple elm trees for morels when I heard a “put - put - warble warble - put - put . . .” behind me. “Good,” I thought. A live hen might be the perfect decoy. The live hen proved to be three jakes - younger male turkeys - looking for me less than 20 yards away. The time was late in my season and there was wind and rain in the forecast, and I wanted a dinner of roast wild turkey, so when the three birds walked behind another nearby oak tree I made my move. Wilma was lying along my right leg. The birds were on my right. I slowly raised the .10 gauge turkey special up and aimed toward the oak tree. I didn’t dare move much else. Two birds came out first and I watched them walk down the hill a bit. When the third tom stopped in some small brush, exposing its head right in my sight, I squeezed the trigger. “Kaboom!” I saw stars and through the haze a flopping turkey! Because of the awkward angle, I didn’t have my weapon pulled in tightly enough and the kick nearly dislocated my right shoulder. I finally gathered enough wits to scramble to my feet and walk over to my bird. I was standing over the dead bird and the other two live birds were fifteen yards away looking right at me. I took a picture and texted Ellen that I had gotten a bird. The other toms didn’t walk off until I picked my bird up! I was going to walk back to the farm with the turkey over my shoulder when I spied three deer ticks climbing up the hand that was holding the bird’s legs. I left the bird there with my sweatshirt and gun over it to ward off coyotes for a bit and hiked in for the four-wheeler. El and Scout came back up with me, and Ellen took some pictures of me and my 16-pound bird for posterity. Anyway, she is planning on roasting my bird this week while Ben and Drew are here from Colorado to hunt the third season. For those of you who care, after registering my turkey online, I cleaned up the bird's breats and cut them into pieces - the size of a deck of cards maybe. El will dredge those chunks of turkey breast in seasoned flour and then brown them in oil. She roasts the browned meat along with a mushroom and wine gravy - use wine instead of water with a gravy mix. I love this served with wild rice and a rhubarb dessert. It don’t get no better.
On Wednesday evening, I joined the Raymond James financial table at the 13th annual NASA fundraiser in La Crosse. Rick Elsen invited me a while back to join him and his wife Paula, his uncle and my longtime hunting buddy Bud Veale, Dan Mauss, the Richard Ristows, and Batman for the event. The money raised goes to support the North American Squirrel Association’s charitable works helping the physically challenged and seniors enjoy the outdoors. The all-volunteer activities NASA helps with include: fishing, hunting, skiing, shooting, and playing golf. I have written about Bud and I and Rick going on a NASA pheasant hunt where 80-something Bud can ride on a specially designed UTV and still shoot pheasants. Anyway, we had fun, a great prime rib dinner, and some people actually won prizes. The Ristows took home a huge flying canada goose mount, Paula won a bow case that was filled with fishing tackle, and Bud - who almost always wins at these things - won the next to last gun raffle - a .22 rifle! Dan, Batman and I got a rock. Oh yeah, Batman is actually Ed Flick the owner of County Wide Animal Control, nice young man who helps people with animal problems - like bats.
On Friday, I was subbing at De Soto High School when football coach Ev Wick dropped by and told me De Soto 8th grader, Drake Kumlin had some special guests at school. Some folks associated with the Holmen High School football program were there to surprise Drake including Holmen assistant football coach and former Green Bay Packer D-back Craig Newsome. The Holmen group was at De Soto to show support for Drake who has won a battle with cancer. Very cool surprise. Nice effort by the Vikings and Newsome who played with Green Bay in two super bowls, winning Super Bowl 31.
Until next time, get out - Ben and Drew will be here from Colorado this week to hunt the third Wild Turkey season. I sure look forward to that. I enjoyed the NFL draft this last week and I am pumped by the Packers’ choice of Wisconsin Badger Vince Biegle. Okay, before I forget, remember Mother’s Day is next week. Enjoy.
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