Huntin' The Hills

[hoosierhunter]

Thanks to a 3rd cousin in Wayne Co. who owns 800 acres, I had a really good turkey hunt over a 5 day period. Opening morning was raining pretty hard, but I was dry as could be. I was in an elevated blind I would normally associate with deer hunting. The top was corrugated tin roof, so needless to say, with the rain banging on the roof, and leaves of the trees, it was really noisy. As I sat there, I really doubted, that I would be able to hear a gobble, should some silly tom decide to do so, in such bad weather. I mean, if it was me, I'd stick my ole head back up under my wing and go back to sleep!
       Well, I never heard a pre-dawn gobble, so a little after dawn, I laid into the loudest possible box calling I could muster up, with one of my DEACON box calls made from Osage Orange with a Purple Heart striker. Just for good measure, I added a loud ole cuttin' hen mouth call. I remember thinking, "Man, this is crazy!", but it was raing to darn hard to even think about walkin' off the hill. So I continued to practice the art of symphonic calling.
        After about three, five minute sessions of that nonsense, I figured it was time for a nap. So I let rip with one more ear piercing set of yelps from the box call,just in case.Before the second yelp was in the wind , a big ole tom gobbler cut me off not more than 10 yards away to my rear. That crazy ole' Turk went into full strut,and strutted right underneath my stand, right between the locust poles used as uprights, and straight up to my full strut decoy! The next thing ya know, KA-BOOM!!! Yep, the ole' Hoosier Hunter was walking down that hill in the rain after all...,24lbs heavier than I went up.
        It just goes to show that sometimes," It's better to be lucky, than good!"
        I really would like to post the pic of the bird, but I don't know how to shrink or compress the pic, as it is to big as it is now. If someone could explain the process I'd be greatly appreciative, and so would my ego.
        OK you mountaineers, lets here about your spring seasons and your plans for fall.
                                             GOOD LUCK, GOD BLESS, AND STAY SAFE
                                                               L.K.Leslie

[olesmoky12]

This was my first year hunting in W.Va and I had a blast. I've been a buckeye all my life and did most of my hunting there. I was lucky to fill my first tag in OH (21lbs &10 in beard) in the first week so I moved over to Wayne Co. Got a 19pounder my first trip out but heard a few other birds. Late in the second week I got on a big bird that took me to school. On the fifth trip after this bird I was lucky enough to get him(26lbs 11 1/2 in beard). 

[olesmoky12]

Something that really suprised the heck out of me. I was in the Wayne Co. woods a total of ten days during spring season and never saw another hunter. I'm used to bumping into hunter over in Ohio. Maybe the difference was private land. Alot of the land I hunt on in Ohio is public land.

[hoosierhunter]

Way to go on them there birds Smokey, and I also did not see as much sign of other hunters in  Wayne co. as I might have thought I would. I've been thinking about huntin the Wayne National forest over by the Ironton area. do you know much about it?
                                                                                 GOOD LUCK, GOD BLESS, AND STAY SAFE
                                                                                                   L.K.LESLIE                                             

[olesmoky12]

Your talking about my neck of the woods. You would be suprised how much of Lawrence Co. is National forest. I don't know all of it but do know alot of the different tracks of land. You just let me know what area you are looking at and I'll tell you everything I know about it.
 Some are hunted HARD for the first week, but the pressure lets up after that. There is a large track of land on up the river around Crown City and if I'm not mistaken NWTF owns it. Turkey gobbling everywhere. The only problem with this area is the road access everyone has. As soon as the first bird gobbles they are driving around calling them to death.
 Anyway, let me know if you have any questions
Dale 

[olesmoky12]

Larry,   Do you know anything about the area you are thinking about hunting? Is it on 93 or 141? If you go to the Wayne National Forest homepage you will see that there is plenty of public land to hunt. There is large ORV trail in Hanging Rock but I'm not sure how hard it is hunted.
 Before I got hooked on turkey hunting I use to do alot of  bass fishing on the ponds around this area in the early spring. While fishing I would hear birds gobbling.
If you find out anything about the area in question just let me know.
 
Dale