Last week’s column from Kansas shared my travel difficulties resulting when my flight from Hartford to Chicago was canceled due to extremely high winds forecast across the Midwest. That left me flying instead out of Providence’s T. F. Green airport at the crack of dawn the following morning.
Unfortunately, my flight back on Thursday was able to top that when it was discovered that my laptop computer was not in my carry-on bag when I opened it after returning home at 2:30 a.m. Friday morning.
When going through security at the Kansas City Airport, one of the TSA agents held up the bag and asked whose bag it belonged to. When I answered, the agent said the laptop was plugged in, so he was opening the bag. When it eventually made its way through the screening tunnel, it was quickly gathered up and I was off to the gate to wait for my flight.
Once the loss was discovered, an immediate attempt to contact TSA at the airport was undertaken, but that was a dead end with phone numbers not being answered. It was my worst nightmare, with a lot of angst while waiting for things to open up at 8 a.m. (Central Time) and discovering exactly how much things have been impacted by the government shutdown.
The real people who answered phone calls had “nothing they could do,” as everything is now done online, and as the recording said, “most calls are returned within 48 hours.” The online process was followed and before the day was over, a real person phoned to inform me that the laptop was found and would be returned to me via FEDEX for $75.
It was slated to arrive Thursday, so this column is being written on the ancient HP “standalone” that is kept for emergencies. This writer understands that the TSA employees have been used as political pawns and deserve better. They are understaffed in a very demanding job while our elected officials in Washington are failing miserably at governing, in my humble opinion.
With all that said, the Massachusetts Youth Turkey Hunt last Saturday was a great success and the regular spring turkey season opened the 27th. Yours truly had an interesting opening morning with non-stop gobbles off the roost which continued after fly-down on an adjacent property for which I did not have permission to hunt.
After some time, however, the gobbles were coming closer, crossed the road, and two male turkeys walked into view. Unfortunately, both were jakes, short-bearded young males that were legal and were gobbling, but not what this turkey hunter was seeking. A gobble behind me then got my attention and a quick relocation set me up to call. The mature tom answered and came walking in on high alert, looking for the hen. There was probably a shot to be had, but hoping for a better opportunity, it was passed up. The gobbler circled me at a distance and then headed off looking for love elsewhere, the decoy was picked up and we headed home at 9 for breakfast after a fun morning.
Tuesday, the location was the same, but the lone gobbler headed off after fly-down and covered ground like no turkey in my experience ever has done. When he stopped talking, the hunt was ended again with fun but no drama. Wednesday morning’s hunt was also enjoyable, with gobbling off the roost, but the two gobblers clammed up after flying down. One must assume they were with hens and a hen later flew in and landed within 10 yards of me. She had clearly heard me but the boys were not impressed.
Let us not forget that this is “prime time” for fishing local stocked trout waters. By all accounts, the fish are really nice rainbow and brown trout with some brook trout and few tiger trout (a sterile hybrid of a male brook trout and a female brown trout) mixed in. The tigers are highly sought after and striking, with maze-like stripes and an aggressive nature that makes bright spinning spoons a good choice.
Local spots like Lake Mattawa, Moore’s Pond and Clubhouse Pond (AKA Sheomet Lake) all offer good shore fishing, or you can use a canoe or kayak (remember that life jackets are mandatory in canoes/kayaks until May 15), or launch your boat at Mattawa where horsepower is restricted to 10 horsepower. Shore fishermen casting the special bait rigs made up with a slip-through barrel sinker do well using Berkley Powerbait or worms, and casting spoons is more “hands on” and with enough casts come nice trout. Laurel Lake in Erving is also stocked and has a boat ramp as well.
Have not heard any Quabbin reports, but right now, with bugs like black flies (ouch) hatching, things always pick up for trollers. Shore fishing for trout and both bass species gets good with big bass, always females ready to spawn, possible as well. Get outdoors and get active!
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.