Something in the Timber – A Halloween Hunting Tale

Twelve-year-old Easton had never given much thought to either. Until Halloween morning.

For years, Easton had went with his dad learning to hunt whitetails and to find his way through the woods. But this morning was different. For the first time, he'd be hunting from the ground blind all by himself.

"You sure about this?" his dad asked as they pulled up to the edge of the woods. "It's Halloween, you know. Never can tell what might be lurking out there."

Easton rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing out there scarier than your driving, Dad."

His dad chuckled. "All right, tough guy. I'll be across the ridge. Call if you need me."

Easton stepped into the cold October air, switched on his flashlight and watched the taillights disappear down the gravel road.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

He'd walked this trail a hundred times before, but somehow the familiar woods seemed different. The crooked oak beside the creek looked like a hunched figure.

Then came a rustle behind him.

Easton stopped.

The rustling stopped, too.

He aimed his flashlight into the darkness.

Nothing.

But when he turned back toward the trail, something broke the silence.

BAH-BAH-BAH!

The sound tore through the timber, loud and ragged, like a wicked laugh rolling through the trees.

Easton froze.

He'd heard coyotes howl, owls screech and deer snort. But nothing like this.

His dad's words crept back into his mind.

Never can tell what might be lurking out there.

Easton shook his head. He wasn't about to let some strange noise ruin his first hunt alone.

He kept walking.

The trail dipped into a hollow where the fog grew thicker. His flashlight barely reached the trees ahead.

Then it came again.

BAH-BAH-BAH!

Closer this time.

Easton spun around. 

For a split second, two glowing eyes stared back from the darkness. 

Then they vanished. 

Something crashed through the brush. 

His heart thudded against his ribs. 

A coyote? A bobcat? 

Something else? 

He remembered the ghost stories his friends had told around the campfire. Stories about creatures waiting in the woods, watching from the shadows. 

He hadn't believed a word of them. 

Until now. 

A twig snapped somewhere behind him. 

Crunch. 

Whatever was out there seemed to stop when he did. 

For a long moment, the woods held their breath. 

Then— 

BAH-BAH-BAH! 

Easton had heard enough. 

He hurried down the trail, stumbling over roots until his ground blind appeared beside the field. 

He slipped inside and quickly zipped the door shut. 

At last, he could breathe. 

Or so he thought. 

The minutes crawled by. Every rustling leaf and snapping twig made him jump. Once, a shadow passed across the blind's window, and Easton sat so still he could hear his own heartbeat. 

He watched the horizon, silently begging the sun to rise. 

Little by little, the darkness faded. 

Gray light spilled across the field as the fog began to lift. 

Then he saw it. 

A dark shape stood beneath an old oak at the edge of the timber. 

The figure moved. 

One slow step. 

Then another. 

Through the lingering fog, he could make out a round body and a head that seemed too small for the creature. 

It stopped at the edge of the field. 

Easton held his breath. 

The creature lifted its head toward the brightening sky. 

BAH-BAH-BAH! 

Easton jumped. 

Then stared. 

Standing in the field was a big fat turkey. 

The bird puffed out its feathers, stretched its neck and let out another thunderous call. 

BAH-BAH-BAH! 

Easton blinked. 

A turkey? 

That was the terrifying creature he'd been hearing all morning?

He'd seen wild turkeys before, but he'd never heard one gobble. Certainly not in the dark on Halloween.

He'd been chased through the woods by his own imagination.

The gobbler scratched through the fallen leaves and wandered back into the timber, unaware of the terror he'd caused.

Easton never saw the big buck he'd hoped for that morning.

But he didn't leave empty-handed.

When his dad returned, he leaned against the truck with a familiar grin.

"Well, tough guy. Anything scary out there?".

"Remember that monster you warned me about?"

His dad raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"Found him."

His dad chuckled. "Oh, really? What'd he look like?"

Easton grinned.

"Feathers, a beard and a screech that could wake the dead."

His dad burst out laughing.

"Sounds like you met your first ghost gobbler."

Easton shook his head.

"Next time, you're walking in there first."

Fact or Fright? The Truth Behind the Halloween Gobble

While Easton's Halloween adventure is fictional, the mysterious sound that scared him is very real! Wild turkeys are famous for gobbling during the spring breeding season, but did you know they can gobble in the fall, too?

Although less common, autumn gobbling can occur as male turkeys interact and establish their place in the flock's pecking order. And here's another spooky fact: Sudden noises, including thunder, barking dogs and even the call of an owl, can sometimes trigger a turkey to gobble unexpectedly. This behavior is known as shock gobbling.

Youth Hunting Disclaimer: While age 12 can be an important milestone for young hunters taking their first steps toward hunting independently, regulations regarding youth hunting licenses, hunter education and adult supervision vary by state. Always consult your state wildlife agency's current hunting regulations before heading afield.