Chasing thunder

It was on the fourth day of God’s creation that He created the first sunrise and the changing of the seasons, both timeless blessings that are often overlooked and taken for granted. It was on the fifth day that the Almighty saw fit to grace this world with one of the most beautiful and magnificent birds He has ever created, the wild turkey.

It has been by His grand design since the beginning of time, as winter begins to transition to spring, He awakens a restlessness in this majestic bird to fulfill His commandment, to go forth and multiply. Filled with the spirit of God’s purpose and lust, the bird instinctively shouts from the tree tops with a voice like thunder at first light. With each thundering shout, the world around him becomes filled with desire. The desire to breed, the desire to fight other suiters who stand between him and fulfilling his destiny, regardless if it is another trying to take his harem or he is taking another’s.

It also creates a desire in others such as the bobcat, coyote and even man to pursue him in order to reap the bounty of a successful harvest. While it isn’t in the written Word, I believe it was also on the fifth day that God Himself created all of this with the heart of an outdoorsman and the spirit of a hunter in mind.

As peculiar as this may sound, I believe on that very day the Good Lord also instilled a kindred spirit in the wild turkey and myself, although it took me quite some time to catch up to it. Much like a moth drawn to a flame, there is a restlessness that is awakened in me in that same season, even before opening day. Since the days of my youth I’ve risen in the predawn hours to drive to undisclosed locations under the cloak of secrecy and darkness just to be a part of this time-honored ritual that takes place each spring.

Long before the first hint of light, I find myself on a hilltop in the middle of nowhere with darkness wrapped around me, seeking the solace and solitude that so many long for, yet so few find. It is the calm and quiet before the day breaks and probably the moment where I feel my soul most closely connected to my Creator.

This is where the magic begins, as the world and the woods around me begin to wake up. The sound of the lonesome whippoorwill Hank once sang about is the only thing that lets me know that I am not alone. Then with a transition so subtle you only notice after the fact, the world around me begins to reflect that of an old black and white photograph. The hardwoods, still bare from winter’s harsh cold, and tones of neutral gray represented in various shades but no other color, surround me. Steeped in the nostalgic connection to the living monochrome photograph I see before me, I feel a primal connection to those who traveled this route before me in similar pursuit.

With the same subtle transition, the first hint of the morning’s sun paints a faint orange hue in the sky behind the trees. Song birds begin to flutter and sing. The barred owls are loudly courting, and a murder of crows greets the new day with obnoxious chatter. It is then, by divine appointment, an old tom is so led to announce his presence to all within hearing distance. It is truly a sign of the times, it is a sign that the dormant season of winter is passing, a sign that there is a renewed purpose and life coming to the world around us and like a seed that has lain dormant all winter that brings forth new life in the spring. The burst of emotion is not only ignited in me but in several other nearby toms, who respond in kind, and for the next 15 to 20 minutes, I find myself in a turkey hunter’s state of euphoric bliss.

It is a sign that turkey season is upon us, and with each thunderous gobble, I mark in my mind where he is and where he’s going each day. It is a sign that it is time for me to tune my calls and hone my skills in using them. It is a sign that is time for me to re-inspect my gear, air out my blinds, clean up my camouflage and organize my vest. It is a sign of the times because soon, very soon, I will lace up my boots and for the next several weeks, engage in one of the greatest pursuits, in some of the most beautiful settings known to man.

The significance is this. I know the Good Lord will grant me only so many sunrises to witness. I know each spring at daybreak the woods become an enchanted place where the sounds of gobbling toms roll across the countryside like thunder. The first gobble of the season stimulates the imagination, and my mind becomes obsessed with the thought of strutting, spitting and drumming toms, full fans, gobbles, wattles and snoods. My passion is to rise each day, embrace it, thank God for the blessing and chase the thunder one more time.

The Georgia 2024 turkey season includes:

• Special Opportunity: Youth/Mobility Impaired — March 23-24

• Private Land, Statewide — March 30-May 15

• Public Land, Statewide — April 6-May 15

There is an old saying: “Taking a kid turkey hunting won’t change the world, but it could change the world for one kid.” Be that difference in a kid’s life and take them turkey hunting.

Special Photo: Georgia DNR