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.