Spring '16

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19 lbs. 10 1/2"!beard with 1 7/16"&1 3/8" Spurs

[hookinembig]

Great bird. Did you get him today? If so can you give a hunt recap.

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No.. Was an opening day bird... Had pre scouted the bird and found he was walkin/ strutting a section of club road everyday .. Knew opening day , it would be a good chance he would do the same... He gobbled on the roost and headed into my hen decoy set.. Strutted and gobbled all the way in! Bang and then the wind started blowing!!

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Wife with our double! 5/7/16

[hookinembig]

Great job to the both of you. Another tough day for us. Zero gobbles on two different tracks.

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Was expecting to hear some gobbling this morning... Did not hear a single gobble, near or far!

[don novicki]

Going out in the a.m. for the first time this season. Haven't been seeing many guys out on the few mornings I drove around looking to see who was out.........

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Good luck! Worked a bird this morning, had him at 40 yards but too thick/far for the wife's 20 ga. Will try to get in closer tomorrow.. Was a bit too late to make the move in on him today!

[Fisherhunter460]

Here's my first one for of year. The jake was taken the third day of the WV season. Started out as a slow morning. My dad and I hadn't heard much gobbling the first two days and decided split up on the third, about a mile half mile apart. It was getting light and hadn't heard anything and decided to try and get the owls going. Finally one turkey started gobbling. I sent my dad a text message and he was on his way. I kept him hot while I was waiting for my dad to catch up to me. Dad had just gotten to me when I could tell there was more than one bird gobbling. We got down into the woods about half way down the point. I put out a decoy and dad started his almost ritual routine of calling. It wasn't long until a hen flew down and came out to the gas above us. She was fired up, yelping every time my dad would yelp, but the gobblers weren't gobbling. At that point I assumed the worse, but finally she elicited a gobble. it sounded like the bird was still on the roost. We waited awhile and I finally caught a glimpse of black through the woods. They were in the open before I ever had a chance to get the gun to the shoulder. I could see the first three birds were all jakes, but there was a fourth bird in full strut, but I couldn't see the fan well enough to see if it was a jake. Across on the next mountain another hunter ripped on a woodpecker call and all four stretched their necks letting out one simultaneous gobble. I worked my gun to my shoulder, but they were still 60 yards away. Of course their wary eyes picked me out. They stood and stared at me for what seemed like hours. All I could think was to use my ESP to tell my dad to call. Finally he did and they started up the hill towards the decoy. They were so cautious. They were in gun range, but alas there was stick right in the middle of the muzzle with four sets of eyes fixed on me. Dad let out another set of yelps and all four managed to get behind trees allowing me to move the barrel. I wasted no time when the first bird presented me an opportunity. Bang....turkeys going everywhere. I swore I missed. I looked up the hill to dad and he just shrugged his shoulders. Finally I stood up with my tail tucked shaking my head walking down the hill to get the decoy. Behold, there he was laying behind a log. I looked up the hill to my dad gave him the thumbs up. He let out a "Woo" that would have even put Ric Flair to shame. I don't usually shoot jakes, but my dad is getting older and the hunts with him are getting fewer and I will never pass up a turkey he calls in for me.

[Fisherhunter460]

Here's the second bird of the WV season for me. This guy was killed on April 26th. I got a text message on the 25th from the guy I hunt deer with, Frank. He had finally killed a turkey out of his little hunting shack. Frank's too old to run the hills of WV like I do so he doesn't venture far from the comfort of his house on the hill. I am fortunate to have helped him build it and see his desire to go afield rekindled with the comforts of a chair and a propane heater. I had a free moment between meetings so I gave him a call just to hear him tell the story. An even older friend was with him assisting with the calling. He told me all about how the turkey came off the flat, puffed out in full strut, the joy of a young boy flowing through his voice. It had been some time since his last turkey. During the conversation he told me that I could come up and hunt if I wanted to. I don't go up to his place to hunt turkeys until he either gets one or he tells me that he is done for the year. I just couldn't resist having seen 6 big long beards hanging out on his property all winter. I told him I'd be up the next morning and Friday morning if the weather permitted.

I rolled out of bed at 4:30 and checked the weather. Passing showers had gone throughout the night and looked like more of the same after 8:00 that morning. I tried to talk myself into going back to bed. The dogs were up and Amanda's alarm was about to go off. Ah, what the hell...I grabbed my vest and gun and out the door I went. I pulled into Frank's drive way and walked up the hill under the cover of darkness. I stopped and sat down for awhile when I got to the top of the 4-wheeler path. The birds had consistently roosted on the next flat up about halfway back his property throughout the fall and through the end of December. The leaves were wet and the woods were quiet. I decided to slip into the roost area, with plenty of time to spare. 6:05 and the old boy started gobbling. No need for the owl calls that morning. He was close. I was sure he was just at the top of the hill right where I thought they would be. I found myself a nice fat tree and nestled into the roots formed perfectly for the back of a turkey hunter, almost like the tree was made for that day. I slipped my mouth call in and pulled out my glass call, a gift from my father when I was 12 years old. Just some soft clucks to start, irresistible to the old Tom. I lost count at 52 gobbles. I gave into temptation and started to do some heavy cutting and yelps on the glass. A thunderous gobble pierced the morning air. I could hear the beat of the wings as he left the roost, gliding through the trees. The gun was to my shoulder before he hit the ground only 55 yards away. I was kicking myself wishing I had a decoy out. He stood erect looking for his lady love. He took a couple steps, stopping behind a tree. I let out the saddest set of nervous yelps you ever did hear, but certainly music to his ears. He immediately turned down the hill locked in on my location. It was still dark at 6:20 under the canopy. I could see his beard dragging the ground as he came my way. 40 yards, then 30 yards, just give me a shot. Finally he stopped at 25. The old 870 let out a bark, the long beard XRs flew true for number two. This guy weighed in at 22.6 lbs with a 10" beard and 1" spurs. Certainly one big eastern for WV. That's been my season. I've been fairly bored all spring relegated to the honey do list.