So, this is my first season hunting gobblers ever, and I must say, I'm hooked! I'm an avid deer hunter, but I must say I've never had a more exciting day in the woods like last Saturday - 14 birds (10 gobblers) and around 300 gobbles! Didn't get to seal the deal though...I still keep moving my gun like a buck hunter.

I get to go out this weekend, and (if I need it) next weekend, too. But whoever was the idiot who put spring gobbler season on the last four weeks of my college semester should have to write this book report, IMO.

One question though--I've been making a turtle shell slate call, and I used natural slate, not an old chalkboard. Is there anything to do to strengthen the slate? I got it working pretty good (aside from taking some more epoxy to it) but I keep knocking small chunks off the side. Mind you I haven't trimmed all the slate off yet, but I don't want to crack this thing after I spent so much time on it! (Ok, I'm partial, but it does sound pretty nice.)

Thanks in advance.

Yeti

Here's some pictures of my work of art {/sarcasm}. Like I said, I need to do some more work to it, but I'll get that done tonight, when I'm at home and have my tools...

Sorry the pictures are shotty--it's a phone photo.

One other thing: Anything I can do to smooth out the slate some? I can't find a steady position for calling without chipping it off.

Turkey hunting is very addicting! Get back out there as soon as you can and get one of those gobblers and we want to see pics! Best of luck.

Oh, this morning was a dandy...

I've got two weekends left to hunt, a half tank of gas, and no paydays. So, basically, today is my last day in the woods. I get up at 5 in the morning, get dressed, and get to the woods by 6. I located a couple of turkeys (over on the un-huntable state park), and set up in the public land (hoping to call them over...no more than 125 yds.)

Well, I call a few times, mimic a fly-down, and make a few more calls...no movement from the gobblers. They'd respond, but they wanted me to come to them. As I said, they were on non-huntable land, so I was screwed.

Deciding to move down further into the woods, I get my stuff around to head out to my truck. (I drive a Geo Tracker with a rag-top). I notice a white blob bouncing around by my car, and I figure it's one of my buddies who works at the park.

When I get up there, a guy has my back window zipped out, and my tailgate open, and is going through my toolbox! I shouted at him, and he got out of the car and looked at me, and said "Howdy." I guess he was trying to act like the car was his. I noticed he had a few of my tools in his pockets (his pants were almost falling off), so I asked him (very "assertively") to get away from my car. He turns and heads off, with my tools still in his pockets.

So, I point my gun towards the ground, away from him, and let off a shot...he looks at my as I motion at his pockets, then to my car. He promptly leaves my tools on my hood and takes off down the road, away from where I was at.

Seeing red, I unloaded my gun and drove back home. I was out of the woods by 7:30... I regret leaving, but I can't go back now. Oh well, I'll always have the fall season...

~Yeti