WV's Last week of Bird Season

[redsnow]

Here's a couple pics of the bird I got Monday. Kind of surprised me that I even got to hear one, our birds were past their peak 3 or 4 weeks before season started, and that's been almost a month ago. Almost every year, get up in the big mtns and it's not as bad. Hunted on the east side of Elkhorn Mtn, about 3000', really went up after a load of locust posts. Didn't get out of town till 9:30, had to take the girl to school, check mom, etc. I'd called 10/15 minutes each at 4 or 5 spots, didn't hear squat. Last spot I called was on the top of a big ridge, fooled around 15=20 minutes, didn't hear anything, turned the dog loose just to let her take a pee/crap. Turned the truck around and drove 5-600 yards, to a good stand of locust trees, dog still loose. Chainsaw on the tailgate, ear plugs in, looked around to make sure the beagle was in the clear before I started up the saw, and noticed her perk-up. Looking back towards the ridge where we'd just left. Pulled out my plugs, made another call and it gobbled down low on the ridge. (where the dog was looking.) She's hard headed like most beagles, caught her, put her in the cab and rolled up the windows, got my rifle and took off. By my watch it was 12:15, think I set up on him 4 times?, woods are getting thick now, I'd set up, call and when he answered I'd move. Guess he gobbled 8 or 9 times, last time just out of sight, watched him in the brush for a couple minutes, fartin around, stepped out in clear, I quit counting at 70 steps. 18.87#, 9.5" beard, didn't measure his spurs, fairly pointy. That's the first spring bird I've bagged in a while, and only the 2nd turkey that I've heard gobble in 2 seasons, so I'm happy with him.

 

[Buffalobob]

Congratulations.

I was out yesterday and did not hear a single turkey, just total silence.

 

[Ridge Runner]

congrats Tim, to sum up my season.......sux!
been on 2 birds that have gobbled more than once this season.
the first was the first sat., took a friend who's new to spring gobbler hunting out, got on a 2 yo gobbler and made a few calls, came in gobbleing, like he was on a string, my buddy dumped him at 18 steps.
the 2nd. has handed me my @$$ on a plate 3 days in a row, he gobbles at everything, will come close, sometimes close enough for a shot but I've saw him one time at 120 yards, he was 75 or less last mon for 2 hrs and 15 min but I never got a glimse of him, he's played this game before, and he's got a brain the size of a hickory nut, so I don't stand a chance. got one last day to hunt him, we'll see.
RR

 

[redsnow]

James you've killed more than me, but I can think of 2 good birds that I've killed the last day of season. Got one in Grant, one in Pend co. years ago, back when I messed with em. Both of those birds were about the same, chased them around 3-4 days each, ALMOST got a shot at both a time or 2. Should have had the Pend. bird the first day, calling for a guy, had him at 20 yards, he was set-up bad, didn't get a shot. Sent my buddy about 50 yards out front, should have made him sit where we were standing, let me pull back, he can't set up for crap. that was the year I got my 3.5" BPS, finally snuffed him at about 8 steps, darn near missed it's head. that gun handles like a digging bar, that's why I don't use it. The Grant bird was about the same, almost the end of shootin hours, he'd worn a trail pacing up and down his ridge, screwed up when he gobbled on the downhill end, I moved in about 20 steps and picked him off the next trip up. Somebody had missed him a little low and off to one side with a rifle, he had 5 or 6 wing feathers shot off and a couple tail feathers clipped off. You could fluff him up and it looked like they'd used a straight edge.
Never know about the critters, I've messed up lots of times, think the rascal quit, walked away, stand up and take a step and away he goes. lol. maybe he'll sneak in behind you, that's always exciting when they get close enough to smell. gun)

 

[Ridge Runner]

yeah Tim the last couple days has been good to me down through the years, here's my last day bird of '07, took him at 10:49 after hearing him gobble at flydown, never heard one gobble like that till this year, but this one would move, my 9th set of 1 3/8's hooks taken since 1992

RR

 

[redsnow]

Really nice bird! Thanks for calling(phone) James, mail your phone # when you get time. What we were talking about, you know back in the 80's spring season was (semi) new, and then all-the-sudden it seemed the woods were crowded. Like I was telling you about the boy you took out and spoiled, he's in for some BAD news- - It don't happen like that everyday. Wait till he hunts a week and don't hear a single gobble. It gets old. Another thing I've been thinking about, back around 85' (when I knew everything about turkeys)lol., I always figured they gobbled best about the time the dogwood trees were in full bloom. We've had a cold and cloudy spring, plants are 2 weeks behind normal, but the dogwoods are full now. We've had frost 2 days this week, on the 3rd week of May, that should be the last frost?

Anyway, good luck in the morn. If you don't get him, we'll double-team his butt next spring. Never was lucky enough to hunt that side of the mtn. I might sneak out for a little bit in the morning too. (I spect you'll have pics), maybe both of us?