Turkey
season has been good to me. I got to go out the first Friday by taking a
personal day from my job as a teacher. The mountains of Nicholas County
were cool and brisk with temperatures in the low 30s. We are a few weeks
behind Calhoun and do not have as much greenery as Calhoun residents.
An old tom shattered the morning silence with a
gobble before 6:00. I rushed up the mountain, telling myself I needed to
get in position before he flew down to begin his quest of searching for
a hen. I was also forced to remember how out of shape I am by the
huffing and puffing I was doing.
Fortunately, the tom was near an old logging road,
so I could quietly sneak into position. This tom was on fire, with
frequent double gobbles and not a nearby hen to be heard. I gave my most
seductive imitation of a very quiet hen and, almost instantly, I heard
the gobbler fly down from the roost. I waited a few minutes as he
continued to break the morning stillness with frequent gobbles.
After another series of yelps, he rounded the
slight bend and was in shooting distance. The morning silence erupted
with my gunshot, effectively ending my hunt by around 6:30. This was my
quickest hunt ever. I was very fortunate, as they usually don’t end that
way for me.
My tom had a beard of 9 and 1/2 inches with nice
spurs and heavy weight. He will make a wonderful addition to the dinner
table. Now, I just need to find some morels to use as a side dish.
I wish everybody luck while hunting. Please be safe
and hunt ethically.
Comments can be sent to
Coryboothe@verizon.net.
Editor’s
Note: Cory is the son of Ronzel and Karen Boothe of Russett. He is a
1996 graduate of Calhoun County High School and is a teacher at Meadow
Bridge Elementary, Fayette County. He resides near Summersville.)