Ron Meek & his turkey hunting dog Gretchen from New York

Gretchen and Ron got several Wisconsin turkeys, including a nice gobbler, with Jon & Keena. October 2007

Gretchen's Fall 2004 season:
Turkeys--Beware! | Breaking up is Hard to do! | Can't wait till Morning! and pictures at Belly Rub is all she needs!

It had been many years since I had a dog. I live in town and had been busy with family, job and whatever!
I do own a beautiful piece of land called, "Gobbler's Roost". This has been a place to share with family and friends.
Taking up turkey hunting in '89, the Roost was a great place to hunt turkeys! Fall hunting was almost as much looked forward to as spring hunting! Little did I know that a mistreated (abused) puppy would come into my life and change my fall turkey hunting-FOREVER! Gretch came to me as an abused puppy! I was a little slow to take to her!!!!!!!! But she was insistent and just wanted a friend!!!!! I had her for about a year, and one day found that she was interested in turkeys! I had a bunch of decoys out on the lawn at the Roost. When I drove in she took great notice in them and RUSHED them when I opened the door! I thought, "I wonder what she would do with the real thing?". The next day I found a flock and let her out on them!!!!!!!!! The rest is to be told, later! She took to this new job like she had been doing it forever!!!!!
Hunting turkeys in the fall with a dog has become the way to do it at the Roost since! Ron Meek - Chenango County, NY
Ron gets them talking at Harmony Ridge. And then here he talks about continuous waves of dogs!
Here a turkey surprises them and Ron wishes Gretchen's leash wasn't around his leg when she drags him down the ridge!

Gretchen taking a well deserved rest in a place of honor

Here's a story from the Opening of Fall Season '02. IT'S ADDICTIVE! Or Do Dogs Get As Excited As We Do?
Fall Season was open and my Brother brought his son, Kyle out for his first Fall Hunt! Gretchen and I had been working on getting back in shape after a Long Lazy Summer! NOT!!!! We had been busy as ever ALL SUMMER with projects at the Roost and were ready for our 40+ days of Fall Season! We chose a small woodlot that usually had Turkeys in it and started through the Brushlot toward it! Instantly!!!!!!! Gretchen hit Scent! Then the Explosion of Turkey Wings! She had a Classic Break-up of 5-6 birds in 5-6 directions! Now, I usually set-up my shooter about 20 to 30 yards in front of me and call with Gretchen in my lap. This time I set-up with my Young Nephew beside me and Gretch on my other side! This was his first try at Turkeys and I figured he needed the coaching! A few Yelps and KEE-KEE,s and I had a Bird Working! The underbrush is really thick on October First! The Bird was LOUD!!!! Gretchen was SHAKING! I was SHAKING! Kyle was FOCUSED!
Bird was getting close! 25 yards and we couldn't see it! They do come in through the thickest part at times! Finally Gretch could stand it NO LONGER!!!! I had to release Her! NO PROBLEM!!!! Just reset and start all over! This time I set-up Kyle at 30 Yards and called a Bird Right to him!
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Here's a little story from Gretchen's point of view from the first day last fall!
Reeltime, from the NWTF Board came to fall hunt with Gretch and Me! Actually we broke-up 4 flocks and saw 2 others.
Each flock was between 12-20 birds with a mix in most! That was as many turkeys as I've seen all year! Lee told a story of us breaking up a small flock and calling them back to get a bird! Here's something I added to Lee's story: Reeltime, the pleasure of the hunt was enjoyed by me as well. I'll give it to you from my dog, Gretchen's point of veiw:
Well Dad! It's about time you got out my orange vest! I didn't think I was ever going to see that again! What, we're setting down ALREADY? OK! Hey is that a turkey I heard fly down over by Lee? Come on Dad let's go get it!!! What's that I hear behind me? A "Tree Rat"!!! Bark-Bark-Bark!!! Sorry Dad!!! Just couldn't help myself!!! WE LET GRETCH BREAK UP A FLOCK RIGHT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD!!!!! Let me out of this truck and I'll show those birds where the bear went through the buckwheat!!! How was that Dad? What, your not going to call to those? JUST AROUND THE CORNER THERE WAS ANOTHER FLOCK!!! There's another Flock!!! Whew they all just went in one direction! Oh well! That's the best I could do!
They didn't read the same book as I did on break-up!!! WE SPOTTED A SMALL FLOCK AND (MUCH TO GRETCHEN'S DISMAY) LEFT HER AT THE TRUCK!!! Dad, you're forgeting someone! What do you mean set there and behave, you'll be right back! I've heard that one before!!! Alright, I'm glad you're back to the truck! Just think how good you would have done if you had of let me help!!! WE GOT A BIRD AND SHOWED GRETCH!!!!!!! OK I'll smell that silly old bird! If it makes you feel better!!! NEXT FIELD HAD TURKEYS BETWEEN 2 CORN FIELDS!!! Are you kidding! Do you know how hard it is to break-up a flock in the middle of a corn field??? Wait a minute! We went through this "Stay in the Truck Crap!" before!!!! It isn't going to work this time! Bark-bark-bark-bark-bark... You'll learn Dad! Can't teach old masters new tricks! My Paw!!!! Ron Meek NY Director of The American Wild Turkey Hunting Dog Association

turkey dog practices scattering the flock