Wet Gobbler

[Tail Chaser]

Hunted one of my favorite spots Sat. which is on a field edge that is bordered by swamp, hardwoods and cutover on 3 sides. Despite the weather it ended up being a pretty good day. With the wind I didn't hear any gobbles early but held tight knowing they would eventually come to the field. Between 7 the 1st hen came out to my decoys, about 30 min. later 5 jakes and 3 hens came out and the jakes were fired up doing circles around my jake decoy mounting a hen. Big boy wasn't with them but about 9am he came out about 150 yrds away with 2 hens. They fed away from me where he started strutting for a short time before going back into the cutover. I couldn't sneak up on him where he was and he didn't seem interested in my calling or the decoys since he had what he needed close by. Several other hens came out alone which could have been part of the group from earlier in the morning. About 11 I had lunch and broke out the blind bc the storm was coming. I set up my blind where he had come out earlier and put out the decoys just before the rain came in hopes they would come out to the field after the rain. Like clockwork as soon as the rain eased up @ 3pm a hen came out to my right 70 yrds away and while I was moving around in my seat to look that way I hear clucking to my left and close. Turn around and he's sneaking in the field 30 yrds away. He was looking at the decoys and while he didn't seem too interested in them it gave me a chance to swing around and get a bead on him. Nice way to start out the season 10 1/2" beard, 1" spurs.

They gobbled good on the roost yesterday and this morning although couldn't get them fired up once they hit the ground.

http://images.snapfish.com/34679%3B793%7Ffp339%3Enu%3D323%3A%3E%3A85%3E%3B%3B %3A%3EWSNRCG%3D32336498%3C986%3Bnu0mrj

http://images.snapfish.com/34679%3B793%7Ffp344%3Enu%3D323%3A%3E%3A85%3E%3B%3B %3A%3EWSNRCG%3D323364993487%3Anu0mrj[excited][excited]

[FishHook321]

I hope you weren't hunting in Va. as you can't hunt after 12:00 until the second half of the season. Otherwise you just gave the man all the evidence to convict you in court.

[kepone cats]

[smile][grin]

[Tail Chaser]

You can't hunt after 12 in VA ?[wink]

[FishHook321]

Nope, sorry Tail, you can't hunt after 12:00 noon until the second half of the season. Which begins on May 1st. I suggest you check the hunting regulations.

[Tail Chaser]

FishHook, suggest checking your river id deputy warden bc that's the Roanoke in the background. Halifax Co., N.C. [grin] where you can hunt all day.

[FishHook321]

Well Mr. Smarty Pants, I didn't know one could tell where you were hunting by a picture of a piece of water in the background. Which is why in my first post I asked if you were hunting in Va. since your address shows as Va Beach and you never said where you were hunting. Also for your information I am in fact in Law Enforcement (28 years as a police officer) I wasn't being smart with you but just giving a little advise. You'd be surprised how many people don't read regulations and assume that you can hunt all day the entire season.

[Steel Fly]

Glad you got one of those birds...I went Striper fishing on the Roanoke one time and heard more turkeys than I've ever come across...drove me crazy because we were only fishing that day. Congrats!!

J

[stripermd]

Glad you got one of them there birds. Good Job![excited][excited]

[Tail Chaser]

Yep, there are a lot of turkeys in the area. There were +- 15 guys hunting @ the club on Sat. - 4 nice toms 7 guys Mon. - 3 toms, several more were missed or didn't come into range. Several of the birds have been taken in the afternoon bc the birds haven't started working to calls that well yet in the am.

As a bonus the shad are still running pretty good w/ a few small rock mixed in.