Team 6 Team Limb Hangers
04-03-2011, 04:54 AM
#61
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WV/OH
Posts: 270
My wife and I were finally able to get out this morning. We heard 11 gobblers on various farms and saw 5 of them(all longbeards). It was 27* at daylight but that didn't hamper the gobbling. They were really getting after it in North Central WV this morning.
Patiently waiting for April 25th.
Patiently waiting for April 25th.
04-04-2011, 06:33 PM
#67
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 39,047
We set up behind the edge of a river in the early morning and waited for about an hour before we started calling. Once we started calling we had about four birds gobbling in all different directions around us for about 15 to 20 minutes. After it became shooting light they went silent. Hopeing it was only because they were on the move we stayed and called for about 25 minutes. My partener then wispered that a hen is walking by at about 35 yards which was a good sign because no one can be better at clucking than the real thing. After a few minutes of the hen sitting, I saw a pair of big toms strutting 120 yards out through a narrow patch of woods. They were on the opossite side of the tree so i slowly had to roll over onto my stomach and use the tree as a rest. Slowly making their way up through the trees there was one bird that was dominant over the other. They approached the trail of the hen and stopped to strut for what seemed like 20 minutes while the adrenaline and cold set in but in reality it was probably only 5. Wishing they would come closer than 35 yards, the hen returned and backtracked her own path. Fearing they would follow I waited for the best shot. He had just walked behind a tree and I set up for the shot on the opposite side of it. He came around still strutting, I knew it would be a hard shot do to it but because of the path he was heading I don't think I could have had a better chance so I aimmed for the head and shot the first shell. It knocked him down but he still had fight. He got back up and made a run over a hill but i could tell he was hurt because he wasnt running so fast. I then shot again but missed just behind him. As he rose to the top of the hill at about 45 yards, I took the last possible shot. It hit hit him in the side while knocking him over for the last time. Still alive I ran to him as he was limping away. We hit him in the head to finish him off. We headed home at 7:20 after a successful morning. I can't wait to get another chance next weekend.
Last edited by Fieldmouse; 04-04-2011 at 06:38 PM.
