By Mac Arnold
MAHFS Editor

Somewhere around noon Monday, after putting the youngest two of our clan on the school bus, I was awakened from a midday siesta by clunks on the roof. Then gusts swirled about the outside walls sending dings and thwaps every which way on the siding.

While resting with my head on the pillow and waiting for the grogginess to fade, I started to think of how it would be for the hopeful turkey hunter.

The first spring season opened in Michigan on April 23.

 My thoughts trailed off into past hunts where the winds howled and I would be left flustered thinking of how in the world can I hear a gobbler even if the birds were being vocal.

The lore was once that one could not hear the gobbles because the fickle birds aren't active in swirling winds but really it's a matter of not being able to hear them. Years of experience will open the mind and put a fable to rest.

Blowing winds still can make for a difficult hunt. However they can also ease maneuvers on a bird hung up on another side of the farm or ridge because it can cover your footsteps in the dry, crunchy leaves. Or then again, you decide to move and then walk right into the tom because you can't keep track of his movements and are left with nothing more than watching him high-step right out of the county.

Oh, those windy day spring hunts, they can definitely be tough ones.

 ***

Mainly for me right now, I'm working on getting healthy for the second season, which opens May 7.

Once, I thought I wouldn't be able to raise a shotgun or handle its recoil but that won't be the case. (Still on rebound from surgery on a torn rotator cuff.)

Despite being able to pull back the string on the recurve weeks ago, it seems that the practice aggravates a muscle under the left shoulder blade.

I'm hoping with time I can work through this but regardless, in the heat of the moment, I'm sure I'm capable of a steady well-placed shot with No. 5 Hevi-Shot from the old reliable Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag.