I went and got my WV license and my buddy said lets go on to Ohio and get your license there.  We'll be done in WV by 7:00 AM and starting 5/3 you can hunt in Ohio til sunset.  I said ten four.  He lives right on the line near Ohio River and has a pile of farms to hunt in Ohio.

The next morning we were in the woods early up where we thought the turkeys should be.  We were right.  As it started breaking day you could make out the silouhette of 2 turkeys just down the hill from us about 40 yards away.  I put my mouth call in and sat still.  Some crows started and I heard a wood duck squealing as it flew over and that triggered several birds right around the hill to gobble.  They were about 100 yards away.  The 2 birds roosted right next to us never said a word.  I was scared to call or do anything because they were so close.

The birds down the ridge gobbled pretty good in the tree.  Directly I hear and see one flying down.  As it banks into land I noticed a pretty good rope hanging off his chest.  He lands about 30 yards right down my gun barrel.  As I was getting ready to end his career another bird pitches out and and lands about 20 yards to my left and I could see his beard swinging as well.  I really couldn't move so I went with my initial target.  10 inch beard and 1 inch spurs.  Look at my watch, 6:45 AM.  Never even made a call.  Check the bird in, clean it, off to Ohio.

I could write a book on this 4 day trip but I will just skip to the highlights.  In fact, I don't have time to finish it now, I will come back later.

Tim

Puttin' the smack down on a Gobbler

The next morning went to the same farm.  Make the long story short, these birds took us to school until Wednesday afternoon, when I called one up gobbling his head off at 4:30 PM and killed him.  In between Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon, I was thinking how retarded these turkeys were.  They were extremely hen upped, which I can understand.  But they wouldn't even answer us.  We could see them and you could cutt, cackle, yelp, kee kee, gobble, etc.  Nothing.  I just wanted a courtesy gobble.

I became obsessed with these turkeys.  I told my buddy, I want to kill one of those turkeys if I have to dedicate my whole trip to them.  Finally, on Wednesday at 4:00, it was like you hit a switch.  They would anwer you and come to you.  That turkey didn't just waltzed right in, he was real patient.  He gobbled every time we called.  Dead at 4:30.  1 inch spurs, 10 inch beard.

Had a nice longbeard at about 47 steps in the woods on Tuesday at 1:30 on another farm.  I don't shoot at them that far.  My gun can and has killed them that far, but I got where I don't shoot them unless they are close.  If I have to think about it, I don't shoot.

My buddy chopped one on Thursday morning on another farm.  I left as the weather seemed to be getting right.  He killed another one in WV on Friday.  And his daughter killed one in Ohio on Sunday.  We were hunting in Jefferson county, Ohio and Hancock county, WV.  I may be forced to go back and bowhunt in the fall.

I have pictures of all the turkeys I killed this year.  I will try and post them up at some point.  I have never done that before.  If I figure it, I will post some pictures of the bucks I killed last fall.  It was a good year.

s.e.