Day Three

The rooster crows at 4:35; I get up and step outside.  The wind is blowing and the clouds are rolling in. It would probably be a good idea to go back to bed. But, I'm already awake and it is supposed to rain over the next few days. I don't hunt in the rain anymore. I head out in the darkness, still not real enthused. I park in a favorite spot and listen for a little while. The Whip-poor-wills are not enthused on this morning, either. They sound a little slow. I head up the hill and down a logging road. I find a tree big enough to sit against and clear out a few limbs and briers.

Wood Thrushes, Hooded Warblers and towhees dominate the early morning chorus. The turkeys are silent and so am I. I sit; not making a sound for over an hour. At 6:55, I yelped twice on the slate call. Silence; except for the songbirds. I sit for another fifteen minutes. My left leg is asleep, it is getting windier and I'm ready to go. I stand up and try to get the feeling back in my leg. One gobbles about 70 yards away.

I sit back down, dig out my head-net and gloves. Silence. I yelp once more and he gobbles again. He is closer than before. I put a mouth call in my jaw and wait. Nothing; I call once more, he gobbles and is coming down the road from the same direction that I walked in. Another gobbler is coming behind him. I get shifted around in the direction, punch off the safety and wait. I see movement to my right, in the direction I was originally facing. One head, then two and now five adult gobblers in full strut at twenty yards or less. They are staring directly at me. But, I'm still facing up the logging road where the other two are coming. I know I can't move. I'm stuck. The lead gobbler on the road stops behind a fallen tree top. He is in range, but not in the clear. He is frozen; looking for me. I can still see the other five out of the corner of my eye and they are getting real nervous. A couple are starting to walk in circles, everything is going to be over quickly; if I don't do something.

The gobbler in the road begins to turn and walk away; still obscured by the tree-top. I gamble and cutt loudly. He gobbles and steps out from behind the tree. Game over and the sky is full of flying gobblers. It was a pleasant walk back to the truck on this morning 5/6/2013. Just think, I could have went back to bed and not felt a bit guilty about it.

(c) May 6, 2013 High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c) 3013 High Virginia Images All Rights Reserved