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August 14, 2001

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* Wild Turkey *
    While hiking along the Appalachian trail I heard a strange noise in the bushes down the hill, approximately 50 yards from me.     I stopped and looked for a while. I could tell by the sounds that the animals had to be fairly large.     I was then able to make out two adult wild turkeys with two babies. From my vantage point I was bewildered. I had no idea that these creatures were so large. I had seen plenty of turkeys before but not any wild ones. At first, since I couldn't really get a clear look at them, I thought that they were some kind of emu or something. They appeared to be that large.     The adult turkeys looked to be at least four foot tall. As they were walking around I got off of the trail and followed them to get a closer look. I guess they got a clue that they were being followed so they darted off into the woods. I pursued but the undergrowth was restricting and scraping my legs. As I was wearing shorts the thorns and thistles began to draw blood from my skin although I maintained my descent down the hill. I realized that the turkeys were not evading me quite a fast as they could have because they were waiting for their young to keep up. This gave me a little advantage.     I got close enough to get a few good shots of them at different angles. I was satisfied so I back-tracked through the woods, found the trail, and resumed my hike.     The chase gave me a sense of accomplishment to have gotten close enough to "fire off" several good clean shots.     I guess, in some way, we all have that inherent, primordial need to stalk and hunt. But unlike a well fed, house cat that stalks, torments, and kills a mouse just for the pleasure, we don't have to.     I got to feel the thrill of the hunt, bag my prey, and nothing got hurt.         Well, except for my legs.