On opening morning of the Youth Turkey Hunt Day, thirteen-year-old Hunter Lawson and his mentor and dad Dan Lawson of Williamstown were hunting on public land
They woke up at 4:00 am and left the house at 4:30 am. They had previously scouted a few areas and knew there were birds in one area. They snuck into their spots a little after 5:00 am, and got their decoys set up and then waited for light. Hunter said that it wasn’t great weather, as it was a bit windy and cool, but soon they had turkeys gobbling nearby.
After some “tree talking” and “fly down cackle”, the turkeys were very excited, as were Hunter and Dan. Unfortunately, the toms had hens with them and didn’t want to leave them.
Things quieted down for the next 3 hours, and Hunter was getting a little discouraged. Around 9:00 am they called again and had an answer. Hunter was excited! After 15 minutes or so, they saw the turkeys heading their way, and they knew they had a good chance.
Hunter had his gun already up and ready as there were 5 jakes coming in. Hunter had already decided he would shoot a jake as this was his first turkey hunt ever and wasn’t going to be picky. At about 35-40 yards Dan whispered he could shoot the one on the right. Within seconds, he shot, and it went right down.
The other four jakes then proceeded to attack the dead one. Dan told Hunter he could shoot another one if he wanted. He was already sighting on another and shot it.
“The look on Hunter’s face was amazing!” said Dan. “I’m not sure who was happier, him or me.”
Hunter was using a Mossberg SA-20-gauge shotgun with TSS turkey loads. He had patterned the gun at the East Mountain Sportsmen’s Club and knew what it could do.
The turkeys each weighed 15 pounds. After checking the birds in online, Dan showed Hunter how to dress the birds out. They saved the beards, fan, and a wing.
Dan’s father had taught him how to hunt turkeys in Vermont back in the 70’s, and then in Massachusetts when they started turkey hunts. Hunter’s other grandfather, Bob McCarthy of Williamstown taught all his kids how to hunt and appreciate the outdoors, and to see his grandkids follow in those same footprints is priceless.
To say Hunter is hooked on turkey hunting is an understatement.
That evening, Hunter accompanied his dad and granddad to the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen’s Silvio O. Conte Memorial Banquet which was held at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club. While there, emcee Mark Jester spoke about the Youth Turkey Hunt and Hunter’s success that day and had him stand up to quite an ovation. Later that evening, Hunter won award winner Joe Miraglia’s donated wing bone turkey call in the silent auction. Joe immediately helped teach him how to use it. Hunter had a big smile on his face all night. He said it was almost as much fun as the hunt.
Seventeen-year-old Matthew Melito, of Adams, also went hunting that day with his mentor Conner Tworig of Cheshire. They arrived in the woods right before first light and waited at a spot where they thought they were going to see some turkeys. Two nights prior to the hunt, Matt had heard them nearby. After not having any luck there, they walked around the area looking and listening for turkeys that might be in the woods. The weather was a little rainy but mostly comfortable. Walking around between spots was enough to keep them warm for the time being, but when they were sitting and waiting for the turkeys Matt started getting a little cold. Not panning out in their favor, they decided to walk back to the truck and head to another spot Conner knew there were turkeys. 
Conner was able to call in some birds. Matt said that he is incredibly talented with a diaphragm and slate call and was able to play both at the same time to imitate two hens fighting. A hen walked by the decoys first and then shortly after, around 9:00 am, the two toms came in to check them out.
Using his 20-gauge shotgun with 3.5-inch, #5 birdshot, Matt dropped both toms at a distance of 15 yards. One tom was 22 pounds, 3oz and the other was 18 and a half pounds. The hunters were both very excited when Matt shot the birds and they both jumped up and pretty much ran over to them as soon as they both were down.
Matt is going to save the fan, spurs, and beards. Conner showed Matt how to dress the birds and Matt even got to attempt to breast one of them, but Conner was kind enough to do it for him.
Matt’s family was very proud of him. They’re not really hunters, but they all enjoyed the turkey they ate from last year’s hunt. Conner was mighty proud of Matt, too.
Last year, Matt and Conner went turkey hunting in Ashfield and were so successful it was like they were being handed turkeys. This year was a little different. Conner made Matt work for his birds and he is very grateful for that, because” that’s how it actually is and I’m glad I got to experience that so I know what to really expect next year.”
While Matt is one in the picture and the one who shot the turkeys, he insists that he cannot take all the credit. “Without Conner I wouldn’t be out there turkey hunting, mainly because I wouldn’t know how to be successful in it. He’s also the one who did the hard part, which was calling them in. I wouldn’t have been able to shoot them if we weren’t there in the first place. He has done a lot for other people, too, getting them into turkey hunting and helping them fill their tags. He absolutely deserves recognition for that too.”
“Overall, I’ve had a lot of fun the couple times I went, and this isn’t the last time you’ll see me on Facebook with a turkey or two.”
Trout Stocking
The following local waters were scheduled to be stocked last week, subject to change: Hoosic River (South Branch) in Cheshire and Adams, Hoosic River (North Branch) in Clarksburg and North Adams, Green River (north) in New Ashfield and Williamstown, Green River (South) in Alford and Egremont, Clesson Brook in Buckland and Ashfield, Upper Clesson Brook and Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, Westfield River (West Branch) in Becket, Chesterfield and Huntington; Cold River in Charlemont, Chickley River in Hawley and Charlemont, Pelham Brook in Rowe and Charlemont, Housatonic River (East Branch) in Hinsdale and Dalton, Housatonic River (South West Branch) in Pittsfield, Hudson Brook in Clarksburg and North Adams, Hubbard River in Granville, North Pond in Florida, Upper Highland Lake in Goshen, Berry Pond in Hancock, Dunbar Brook in Monroe, Pelham Lake in Rowe, Buck and Clam Rivers in Sandisfield, Windsor Lake in North Adams, Hemlock Brook in Williamstown, Lake Buel, Goose Pond, Otis Reservoir and Stockbridge Bowl.
Kids Fishing Derbies beginning at the Hatchery
On the second Saturday of each month beginning in April and running through September the Friends of the Berkshire National Fish Hatchery put on a kid’s fishing derby. They start at 9:00 and run to 10:30 am. No child goes away empty handed.
The next derby will be next Saturday, May 13 at the Hatchery’s Lower Pool at 240 Hatchery Road, New Marlborough.
1,000th column
If you have been reading this column since its beginning, you are now reading the 1,000th column. Can you believe it? Yep, it’s true. Can’t believe it myself. Never thought I could put out 10 columns, much less 1,000.
It started in March, 2004, just a couple of months after the “Magnificent Scribbler,” Ted Giddings, retired after 55 years of writing his Our Berkshires outdoor sports column.
Ted joined the Berkshire Eagle in 1928 serving as a reporter until 1937 and as city editor from 1938 to 1971. He was best known for his popular outdoors column, “Our Berkshires,” which he began writing in 1948.
Don’t look for me to challenge Ted’s remarkable run of 2,860 columns.