By Mac Arnold
MAHFS editor

Even though my Michigan spring turkey hunting vacation was not topped off with a bagged bird, I still had some action.

And in an unlikely spot ... by my St. Clair County house.

Seems the birds have come back to roost along the river ravine where it held some decent turkey numbers a few years ago.

I wonder if it has anything to do with hearing fewer coyotes howling at night this past winter?

Hmmmm ... maybe.

The closest I got to a shot was during a midday gig Friday, May 13.

Thing is, I let my guard down by not expecting much out of this spot.

Everything went as planned: the two jakes silently appeared from around the scrub brush to my left about 15 yards away and would have walked smack dab into the primary shooting lane for where I was set up.

But in my excitement, I made a rookie mistake and dipped my shoulder just slightly while reaching for my bow ... well, that was all it took. They whirled around, hit the downside of the ridge and their bobbing red heads were out of sight in an instant.

I guess that's why they call it turkey hunting and not turkey killing.