State #18. Virginia did not disappoint!!!

[Spurs]

I'm a lucky guy in that I get paid to travel....work just gets in the way.  I only get Sunday's off, but I used an early quit day on Saturday to make the 6 hour drive to VA for their first Sunday hunt.  I only had 1 morning.  Got to my spot on a map that I had been looking at for weeks at around 10 pm Saturday night at the bottom of a mountain and slept in the truck...well, kinda.  Got things moving at 4 to make sure I had plenty of time for the climb and arrived at my spot 1300 feet higher and 1.8 miles deep. 

To my disappointment, heard nothing from the knob I was on.  I started down to run a stretch of ridges and after only walking about 200 yards, I finally heard one respond to my hooting.  It was one of those distant gobbles that you really only hear one note and you get that since of disbelief.  I continued trekking focusing on the direction I presumed the gobble to come from.  After about 100 more yards, I cast out another short hoot sequence...pay dirt!!!  Only problem? 

He was about 700 feet above me on a high knob with no known way to get up to his elevation without boogering him or driving around...which would have taken hours.  I elected to do what I've only had work a time or two.  Call him down to me.  I worked up the hill about 150 yards and luckily found a blown over tree next to an old cut in logging road.  Now before I started up, I confirmed his location with a few clucks and a few notes to test him out.  When I decided to setup, I cast a few more love notes his way to let him know I was in the area and more than willing, but my mind had honestly given up on calling him down that near vertical hill. 

While I was kicking the leaves away from behind the stump, he gobbled once and in my mind I thought it sounded closer, but my brain told me there was no way that bird was coming down.  As I kneeled down behind that broken stump, I removed the front buckle on the gun sling.  I was reaching into my pocket to get my range finder to zap a few trees and HOLY SHNIKY!!!  Full strut at 60ish yard stood a monarch.  The drum following that moment dang near created sonic boom. 

As many here know, that "oh crap" moment settled into my skull, but I had been there a few times.  I ever so slightly melted into the backside of that stump as he began his determined and fast paced walk down and to my left.  55-50-45-40...I hadn't ranged it, but I was confident that he had gotten into my 40 yard bubble.  I let him take a few more steps and his head raised to find that sweet little darlin that has been whispering sweet nothings.  My Benelli M2 Compact 20 barked and the deed was done. 

After putting my hands on him I took a look around at the beauty that surrounded me.  From 2400 feet, I could see a couple little farms, hardwood covered knobs, and an amazing sky that was blue and half coved with cotton balls. 

Men do not deserve what we've been given.


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[JeffC]

Awesome job on the hunt and story, great picture! Congrats. You dont know till you try. Bet that walk down was really sweet!

[deathfoot]

Great hunt. As a Virginia (mountain one), there's nothing like this place. And yes...we call them down hill on a regular. But in some places it's only up or down with not much on the middle. Congrats on a fine Virginia bird!!

[tomstopper]

Nice read. Congratulations

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[RiverBuck]

As a fellow Virginian.. Congratulation! Sounds like everything you could ask for out of a hunt, you made it happen, and that's indeed a beautiful bird.

[mountainhunter1]

Beautiful bird - and there is nothing like hunting in the mtns. It is a win to watch the sunrise up there even if you don't have any luck with the birds. Congrats on an awesome morning.

[Gold Spur]

That's a beautiful bird. Thanks for sharing your awesome hunt.

[Old Timer]

Congratulations! Great story. You have been blessed. Thanks for sharing.

[Brillo]

Pretty place, pretty bird, pretty darn good hunt.

[Lone Star Eastern]

What a story! Thank you for sharing.

The Lord has blessed us with the opportunity to see some beautiful sights that he has created, even in our backyards. I pity those that have to realized that blessing.

Nice work on the getting the king.


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[Turkeybutt]

Great story and congratulations on a fine bird.

[High plains drifter]

Well done!

[Flatsnbay]

Wow! What a hunt. Congrats!

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[Mick2394]

Great story, sometimes they surprise you when they're in the mood! Congrats!


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[357MAGNOLE]

Congrats!

I was stationed in Virginia and I have yet to experience a state that offers such good turkey action.  The western portion of the state is simply beautiful. Its that eastern portion of the state that turns me off.