Wild Turkey Glade Cache Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This is a straight forward cache. In the end you will hopefully find a camoed small “Pelican” style water-proof box, with assorted swag, cache is available for TB and coin exchange.
Terrain rating is such that there might just be several "approaches" to this cache. Just remember here in the midsouth the word "bottoms" or "river bottoms" correlates to wet, sometimes swampy surroundings with a river running nearby.
The forest is full of birds. These bottoms hold a plethora of bird life through out the year, especially during spring and fall migration. Summer and winter have it’s extremes but there are still year round residents about the bottoms, many which are rarely seen but occassionaly heard.
Along the main trail in this park are several grassy glades, these glades provide a change of habitat within the surrounding forest. Field grasses and wildflowers flourish here providing seeds for many types of birds. Several species of Sparrows, Juncos, and Wrens (LBJ’s - Little Brown Job’s) utilize these small clearings for food and water (rain puddles), and general living habitat.
Many times while biking the trail in the early mornings I’ve silently come up on a flock
Of Wild Turkey feeding along the gravel trail and in the glade. They did not startle and flush as I would expect but just mosied on off into the forest. The most I’ve seen at one time was 27 both feeding on the ground and still roosting in the trees.
History reveals to us that “While writing to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin observed that the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) would have made a better national symbol for the United States than the Bald Eagle, proclaiming it a “a bird of courage.” The Wild Turkey is the largest game bird in North America and is among our best known birds. After major declines (during the latter half of the 19th through the 20th century) attributed to over hunting and habitat loss, the Wild Turkey is once again regularly encountered in open woods bordered by clearings, particularly where Oaks are prevalent.
At night they roost in trees.” Turkeys are not great distance flyers, but they can when needed to, get themselves up and away on short powerful flights(60mph) followed with a long glide back down to earth to get away from danger. Turkeys prefer to strut about from place to place in search of food (seeds, fruit, insects) and “one another”. Eyesight is three times better than humans, Turkey hunters really have to “camo up” and sit still for a chance at one of these birds ending up on the dinner table. Juveniles or chicks are called “poults”, females are “hens”, young adult males are called “jakes” and the big male gobblers are known as “toms”.
At times the approach(s) can be dry, wet, or very wet depending on recent weather. Snakes don’t bother me but be aware during the “season”. Rat Snakes, Black Racers, Yellow-bellied Water Snakes, Copperheads and Water Moccason’s (Cottonmouth) all inhabit and have been readily seen/photographed in these bottoms. Don’t bother them they won’t bother you. (Just don’t step on one). Thorns and old barbed wire fences are scattered where you least expect.
If you have the urge to cross the river while in the forest, let me say this. DON’T, think about where you are and where the cache is supposed to be.
This, like five other caches contains one of six required clues that you will need to find
“ Jaybirder’s Roost” Cache (GC209W3). Good Luck.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Tbooyr-tbooyr
Treasures
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