No fooling…we’ve finally made it to April! I haven’t been out to do any scouting yet but with the warmer weather I’m sure turkeys are gobbling. It will be only a few short weeks until turkey season begins. Time for another turkey hunting story. Maybe it will get me motivated to get out of bed and into the woods.
As I have said before one of my favorite places to turkey hunt is the Slate Lick area. To begin this hunting tale, I parked my truck in Buck Lick Run just before you get to the creek and the handicapped gate. From there you can walk the old grown-up clearcut road to the top of Buck Lick Ridge. Using the road and horseback riding trail on top of the ridge you can cover a lot of ground in a hurry if you happen to hear a gobbler.
At daylight, shortly after getting to the top of the ridge, I heard a turkey gobble over in the low ridges on the end of Cross Mountain. I did not particularly want to make the long trek down Buck Lick Ridge, across the wide hollow below the dam, and up the ridges on the other side where the gobbler was located. Especially since my truck was parked in the opposite direction. However, from past experience at least I knew the easiest way to get there. I waited… hoping another gobbler would make its presence known nearby. All the while the bird on Cross Mountain was gobbling nonstop.
I couldn’t take it anymore,… even at the risk of the gobbler shutting-up about the time I got there! Down the ridge I went at a fast walk to the easiest place to drop off down to the dam, then across the bottom (it’s farther than you think), a quick splash through the creek, and up the other side into the low ridges on Cross Mountain. The gobbles had slowed down but I knew he was in the area.
After catching my breath and getting settled, I found a place to set up and gave a yelp with my mouth call. There was an immediate response on the ridge above me. I waited a few more minutes and gave another call. This time the answer was closer and I knew he was coming in. I gave another call and then shut-up and waited. It wasn’t long until I saw movement! It was the gobbler with at least one other turkey with him. He worked closer and when I had a clear shot at about 30 yards, I centered the front bead of the peep sight on his head and pulled the trigger on the old double barrel. The gobbler melted on the spot and I quickly ran over and put a boot on his neck so he wouldn’t flop down the ridge. It was a good gobbler but I don’t remember the beard length or spurs.
I knew the other turkeys had taken off up the ridge but was paying more attention to the flopping gobbler under foot. Less than a minute later…BOOM, BOOM… I heard two gunshots! Shortly after that I heard a whistle and saw another hunter on the ridge above me. He gave a wave so I walked up to chat. After admiring my gobble, he told me he was coming down the ridge after the same bird when he heard my shot and suddenly two gobblers tore up the ridge and broke into flight right in front of him. He missed both of them.
The long walk back to the truck wasn’t easy, but with the long-beard strung across my shoulder it was worth all the effort. Another hunt I will never forget!
Be safe! Have a great turkey season!
R.D. Cullers
Graduate of Bergton Elementary (Class of ’65)
