Still trying for my first longbeard!! Any Suggestions??
I have been hunting the appalachain foothills of WV for 10 YEARS without having killed a longbeard and I am trying to change that this season. Last week was the first week and I have hunted every day except for one. The first day I could've got a shot on one but I was convinced that he was "hung up" and then when I got up to try to move closer there he was and he busted me (thats the short version of the story). The second day, I saw and heard nothing in a different location.......... Every other day execpt for the second day I have hunted the same hollow as the first day and have seen or heard many birds, but they always either have hens with them, or they show up at the top of the mountian and I am at the bottom and they will not come down.
I have a few questions for you guys that know how to kill a Turkey. Every morning thus far there has been 2 gobblers gobbling on a bench just below the ridgetop from the roost. They hit the ground and Instantly shut up. I saw these gobblers following some hens and a couple of jakes yesterday morning and tho they would gobble they would not come down the mountian to me as I yelped at them. Do you guys think these gobblers should keep coming back to the same bench?? Is it already too late in the year for the hens to leave them looking for "nookie" and make them easier to call in?? Would you suggest slipping into that bench area and setting up while they are still on the roost???? ANY pointers??? I know I am rambling but I really wanna make this the year...............Thanks.