Zyloo

Thanks for these nice story!

redmag

I was reading these and remembered another story. Happened back sometime in the 70's and maybe our county's first spring season. I was fishing one Sunday morning along the Shenandoah River and heard a bird gobbling his head off up on the hill from the water. After fishing I walked up there to see if I could tell where he was and I saw a deer trail running along the top of the ridge paralleling the river. I had never hunted turkeys before and as a matter of fact had never seen one up close. On Monday morning is was up there by the trail with an old HS Strut boxcall (that I knew nothing about using well) and a Savage 20ga/.22 combo that I borrowed from my brother because it was a 3 incher. The bird just like the day before went crazy on the roost. Eventually he flew down and was coming out the trail just like he had done the day before. Then all went quiet. I am looking for him like crazy and all of a sudden a big black bird walks by at maybe 25 yds. and from my inexperience I didn't know they were black, I thought buzzard. It disappeared over the ridge toward the river which was about 100 yds down to the water. Don't you know he gobbled just over the bank out of sight. I tried with the box call to no avail. I knew I could sneak over there and surprise him and get a shot, right. I got up and crept toward the top of the ridge and as I did I saw him take off running in the direction he came from. Seriously, at 50 yds I shot and he fell backwards trying to get up and run. I ran down there and as he was struggling to get up, I shot him in the head with the .22. Worse yet I didn't know what was the best way to clean him up. Hot water I knew of. I checked him at a local store and the storekeep said the best way was to dry pluck him. I have not tried that since. My mom helped me and we had a mess. I didn't tell the storekeep because I think he intentionally led me to do that to make fun if I told him. We had feathers and torn skin everywhere, look more like a roadkill. My first gobbler, has been fun ever since.

Erno86

I was heading to the outdoor gun range this morning in my car, when I encountered a young jake or tom (with a 5 inch beard) standing on the edge of a two lane road (on a hill above our gun range). I honked my horn at him...and he scooted up the hill; at almost the same spot where I encountered a tom about 5 years ago.

Erno86

I was heading to the outdoor gun range this morning in my car, when I encountered a young jake or tom (with a 5 inch beard) standing on the edge of a two lane road (on a hill above our gun range). I honked my horn at him...and he scooted up the hill; at almost the same spot where I encountered a tom, while in my car, about 5 years ago.