Friday, I took a vacation day from school and hunted my best Botetourt County farm and though I heard five gobblers, I also heard and saw hens. Saturday, I hunted another really good place and heard three toms off our land in the Sinking Creek Valley of Craig County. Sunday, I went to the best farm I have permission to hunt, one in Franklin County. And never came close to killing a bird.
With my having to be at school on Monday morning by 8:45, I almost decided not to go. But, ultimately, I did and a tom came charging in to position, not long after he flew down from the roost. The gobbler and I were back home by around 7:00 A.M., time for Elaine to take pictures of the bird and me, and for me to clean him.
Spring gobbler hunting is full of little ironies, and such was the case again. Three days when I had to noon to hunt and never came close to punching a tag, and then on a short hunt before school, I tagged a tom quickly. Since I killed two VA birds in the fall, I am now tagged out in my home state. Saturday, I will go afield in West Virginia.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Virginia Gobblers Uncooperative, but Songbirds Are Returning (Blog 388)
I continued to struggle while turkey hunting this week. I have now been out seven times either on weekends or before school and have not yet seen a gobbler except for one that was about 100 yards away. The typical outing goes like the following: hear toms on the roost, they gobble a little, then they depart with their hens for parts unknown.
The songbird watching and listening has been great, though. Whip-poor-wills and chuck-wills-widows returned this week as did scarlet tanagers, worm-eating warblers, and ovenbirds. Fascinatingly, a worm-eating warbler came within about five yards of me, and I watched it hopping about the forest floor looking for bugs.
The turkey hunting should improve soon, once more hens go to lay their eggs.
The songbird watching and listening has been great, though. Whip-poor-wills and chuck-wills-widows returned this week as did scarlet tanagers, worm-eating warblers, and ovenbirds. Fascinatingly, a worm-eating warbler came within about five yards of me, and I watched it hopping about the forest floor looking for bugs.
The turkey hunting should improve soon, once more hens go to lay their eggs.
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Spring Gobbler Opening day in Virginia (Blog 387)
Opening day in Virginia was today, and it was very uneventful for me. With brisk winds, warm weather, and humidity, I was not optimistic there would be much gobbling on the Franklin County farm I was afield on.
Unfortunately, I was correct in my predictions on how the day would be. I didn't hear my first gobble until 9:15, and it was in response to a crow call. I only heard two more the rest of the day, one in answer to the crow call and a random gobble in mid-morning.
Disappointed for sure, but I'm not depressed about it. Sooner or later, the birds will turn on, and then the excitement will begin.
Unfortunately, I was correct in my predictions on how the day would be. I didn't hear my first gobble until 9:15, and it was in response to a crow call. I only heard two more the rest of the day, one in answer to the crow call and a random gobble in mid-morning.
Disappointed for sure, but I'm not depressed about it. Sooner or later, the birds will turn on, and then the excitement will begin.
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Setting Up too Close to a Tennessee Gobbler (Blog 386)
This past Saturday, I was in Northeast Tennessee to hunt opening day of that state's spring gobbler season. I was afield with Larry Proffitt, my long time turkey hunting mentor and friend, of Elizabethton. Larry and I climbed a Sullivan County mountain in the dark, and while we were waiting for dawn, a gobbler began sounding off directly behind us.
Larry motioned for me to slowly scoot around to the other side of the tree, which I did. A while later, I was able to make out the tom in a tree about 50 yards from us. Larry had been making pitting sounds before the tom gobbled, which perhaps made the old boy start up.
Anyway, I felt doom was at hand when I saw that the gobbler was so close. Every time except one during my 32 years of spring gobbler hunting when I have, by chance, set up in the dark within sight of a roosted gobbler, the hunt had turned out badly.
This hunt, too, ended in failure as when dawn came, the tom pitched down and quickly rambled away out of shooting range. All I could do was watch him flee. Is there such a thing as being too close to a roosted tom? I think so.
Larry motioned for me to slowly scoot around to the other side of the tree, which I did. A while later, I was able to make out the tom in a tree about 50 yards from us. Larry had been making pitting sounds before the tom gobbled, which perhaps made the old boy start up.
Anyway, I felt doom was at hand when I saw that the gobbler was so close. Every time except one during my 32 years of spring gobbler hunting when I have, by chance, set up in the dark within sight of a roosted gobbler, the hunt had turned out badly.
This hunt, too, ended in failure as when dawn came, the tom pitched down and quickly rambled away out of shooting range. All I could do was watch him flee. Is there such a thing as being too close to a roosted tom? I think so.
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