Team 12 - Tommy Knockers
Hunter- Mookyj
State - Ohio- Opening Day
Species - Eastern
NWTF Score - 58.8750 18 lbs 6oz., 9.7/8" beard, R.S. 1", L.S. 1/16"

Just got back from a great turkey hunting trip in Pike County, Ohio. I booked a DIY hunt with Ohio River Valley Outfitters in Piketon, Ohio. After making the trip there (along with a stop at Cabela's in Wheelin, WV) I got a personal tour of two sizable properties (400-500 acres) from Andy Montgomery (owner/outfitter). Both properties had turkey written all over them, and had not been hunted for turkeys. The outfitter typically runs deer hunts in the fall, and was branching out into the spring season.

I choose for the first two days of my hunt a property with two high ridge peaks (450 to 500 foot elevation changes) that formed the end of a very large bowl that ran nearly half a mile back, and was also joined by several smaller finger ridges. This was more like hunting at home, and suited me just fine. I roosted five gobblers that night, pinpointing them at the junction of two ridges. I would be there well before first light. The next morning I got in early and was able to setup within 150 yards of the gobblers. It was a very loud morning, that resulted in two gobblers making a bee-line to my position. I dropped the gobbler at 28 paces and less than three minutes after he flew down from the roost. He came in with a slightly smaller gobbler in tow. I had to wait it out for another hour and a half after the shot, as another group of five long beards came into the setup, all were equally as impressive, and made me wish there was an exception to the one a day rule. My opening day bird weighed in at your typical 18 lbs 6 oz, sported a bushy 9-7/8" beard, and had 1" & 1-1/16" spurs. A solid three year old gobbler.

The remaining two days was filled with massive amounts of gobbling, and nearly completed a double with a newly befriended hunter. I hunted with my new friend who shall remain nameless (super nice guy to hunt with though) on the second property on the last day. We were surrounded that morning with no less than a dozen gobblers, and it would be another very loud morning. I gave him choice on the two front gobblers and opted to take the one in back. He got buck fever (or gobbler fever) and pulled the shot. I dropped my bird which turned out to be a jake. Although it did not turn out as planned, I shared a great morning with another hunter, and made a new friend. There were several other farms that were of equal or better quality, and I'll be back to check those out this fall.

Here's a link to a recording I made on opening day (spring turkey season) in Ohio. Recorded on my iphone. it was right next to me. Should have placed it a ways out. In reality I called rather low key but it sounds loud, and the gobbling was much louder than how I captured it. runs about 18 minutes (4.59mb .wav file)
http://www.turkey-talk.com/webaudio/ohio2010c_mobil.wav

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5837339&l=58eaf61e9e&id=735242418