Longbeards and Morels in West Virginia (Blog 440)

This past weekend, I had one of those perfect spring days in the mountains of Monroe County, West Virginia. While trying to maneuver around a flock of gobblers and hens, I came across some black morels growing along a highland creek. I had brought a plastic bag for just such a random chance encounter. So I quickly gathered the morels and continued after the turkeys.

Later, I was able to kill my biggest ever West Virginia gobbler, a tom that weighed 26 pounds, 8 ounces. That night for dinner, my wife Elaine fixed a tasty scrambled eggs, vegetables, and morels dish. It was a perfect day and a perfect dinner.

Oh, by the way, I saw large patches of ramps growing on that mountainside. I know ramps are popular in many places, and I know this is heresy to say it, but neither Elaine nor I can understand their appeal. So I left them for someone else to gather.

Spring Gobbler Hunting in Virginia and West Virginia (Blog 439)

I first started turkey hunting in 1986, and in all those years, I cannot recall the gobbling intensity that I have experienced from Saturday through Thursday in Virginia and West Virginia. While afield in Virginia, I did not have a shot on Saturday or Sunday, although I saw approximately 20 different gobblers those days. On two occasions, I had multiple gobblers, one day five, another day three, within 50 yards of my position.

On Sunday, I had a gobbler, jake, and a hen within 20 yards of me, but I was afraid to shoot because they were so close together. Finally on Monday, I called in and killed a mature gobbbler, tagging out for the season because I had killed two birds back in the fall.

I didn't hunt Tuesday or Wednesday, the former because I was exhausted from climbing a mountain three straight days, and the latter because of two book signings/talks.

On Thursday I went to West Virginia and once again heard intense gobbling. I killed a mature bird at 8:00 A.M. I didn't go on Friday because of the rain but am heading for West Virginia on Saturday morning. I hope this gobbling frenzy keeps up.

The Thrushes are Singing (Blog 438)

One of the many joyous aspects of spring is listening to the various members of the thrush family. This week, the wood thrushes returned to Elaine's and my land in Botetourt County, Virginia. The flute-like tunes of the wood thrush, I believe, are the most beautiful of all the bird songs.

But also this month on our 38-acre spread, we've heard other thrush family members such as the veery, hermit thrush, and gray-cheeked thrush. They, too, have glorious voices, and, of course, are just passing through on their way northward. But it's the wood thrush, which breeds on our land, that I most look forward to hearing and seeing.

The Vagaries of Spring Gobbler Hunting (Blog 437)

I spent Saturday through Monday in Tennessee spring gobbler hunting with good friend Larry Proffit of Elizabethton. Larry is one of the best callers I have ever hunted with, and I didn't see a gobbler the three days I was there. Such is life sometimes in the spring gobbler woods.

This morning as I was letting our chickens out of their coops, I heard one gobbler - about 60 yards away in a pine - gobbling repeatedly. The tom was so talkative that he caused our alpha rooster, Don, to crow and all of the hens to be on edge.

Finally, I saw the tom fly down and land in our hollow - and still keep gobbling. In fact, the bird did not cease for another 10 minutes.

Why were the woods in Tennessee so quiet when I was there, and the toms so raucous behind our house. Will that gobbler still be behind our house when opening day arrives. Who knows?