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VaTurkeyBoy
Poult
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:04 pm Posts: 8 Location: Chatham
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Awesome Opening Weekend
Has been quite the weekend for my dad and I and don't know if we will ever top this for a long time. Opening day began a little rough for us. We went to public land that we have always started at on opening day and got to the spot we wanted to hunt only to be greeted by another hunter walking in so we quickly went to our back up plan. Never heard a bird gobble at all on the public land so we decided to cut our losses and head to another piece of property. Got to the field only to be greeted by a truck fertilizing the field which helped us because we were able to set up. Around 8, the truck left and we started calling. About 20 minutes later a bird answered us at the end of the field, another 15 mins goes by and he answers us and he is 125 yards away. He pops up over the hill and he has a buddy with him. Both birds saw the Avian X jake decoy and made a bee line for him and 2 mins later there was a 3, 2, 1, boom and both birds hit the dirt. This was my dad and I's first true double in Virginia. This morning, we went to another piece of private land and were greeted to gobbling on the roost which was much different than yesterday. About 6:50, one of the birds gobbles 100 yards away. 20 minutes later he walked in the field and went after the jake decoy and was allowed to flog him only one time before he started flopping. After retrieving the bird we heard some other birds continue gobbling so we went after them to no avail so we came back to grab the decoys and had a bird sound off about 175 yards away and tried to work him but he had hens and ended up going off. Came back to another piece of land to see if my dad could get a bird and there were two long beards, a jake, and two hens already in the field. We were able to sneak up to within 15 yards of the field and started calling. One of the hens came by us at 10 yards and about 25 minutes, the rest of the gang followed suit and my dad was able to lay the hammer down on the big bird. Sorry for the long post but this is one the most memorable weekends we have had together. I'm grateful to just be able to come and hunt as I am finishing up college and don't have a lot of time to come in so for us to kill four birds in two days amazes me. It was an incredible weekend that I will never forget. Birds on left (L to R): 18# 1" spurs 11" beard; 20.5#, 1" spurs, 6" beard (had been cut clean off) Birds on right: 16.13 #, 1 3/16 " spurs, 10" beard; 17.6#, 1 1/8", 10" beard
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Sun Apr 15, 2018 3:28 pm |
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tut
King of Spring
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:28 am Posts: 1181 Location: Hamilton, va
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Super weekend. Hunting with your dad is super special. My dad and I only hunted a few times, but I really cherish those hunts now that he is gone.
_________________ "Turkey's have no curiosity"
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Sun Apr 15, 2018 3:47 pm |
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Greyghost
King of Spring
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:12 am Posts: 2451 Location: Midland, VA
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Great story and awesome hunt, congratulations.
Earl
_________________ God, Family, Country, Corps and then the Wild Turkey.
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Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:28 pm |
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Gobblenow
Co-Owner/Dog Feeder
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:20 am Posts: 3806
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Super weekend is an understatement. Back to back two bird days and one with a true double is about as good as good as it gets. Great report and congratulations to both of you.
_________________ "even after almost a half-century of hunting of the noblest game bird I am going to confess that I am still in the kindergarten; and I doubt if any human being ever acquires a complete education in this high art."
- Archibald Rutledge
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Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:30 pm |
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brwndg
King of Spring
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:01 am Posts: 635 Location: Bluemont, VA
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Double double! Gotta love it. Congrats to u both!
_________________ "If turkeys could smell, you'd never kill one" - Bud Trenis my turkey hunting mentor & dear friend
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Sun Apr 15, 2018 7:50 pm |
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Doug
King of Spring
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:25 pm Posts: 2092
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Impressive!!! Congrats to you and your dad!!
Doug
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Sun Apr 15, 2018 9:09 pm |
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SwampFox
Jake
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:19 am Posts: 24
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Outstanding and Congrats to you Both!
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:57 am |
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vagrousehunter
King of Spring
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:41 pm Posts: 813 Location: WV Eastern Panhandle
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Great story. Congratulations to both of you.
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:28 am |
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VaBoy
Jake
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:08 pm Posts: 37 Location: Climax
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Thanks for the kind replies folks. Awesome doesn't begin to touch my last 2 weekends . My youngest scored last weekend on a great bird in less than ideal conditions and to have the weekend turn out the way it did after how it started was amazing. We never heard a bird at light opening morning and we could hear a LOT of area , guess birds just didn't gobble. To end up taking 4 birds before the clock hit noon on Sunday ( shot my second at 11:25) still makes me shake my head. As much as I enjoy chasing these birds and seeing the beauty of a big gobbler strutting into range gleaming in the sunlight, to be able to spend the time and share the enjoyment of it all with my boys tops it all. Thanks " Shaggy" for giving me that time and making your Dad proud.
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:29 am |
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Bird Dog
King of Spring
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 4:50 pm Posts: 2650 Location: central Va
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Great weekend of memories. Congrats!
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:34 am |
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Bigmeat
King of Spring
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:23 am Posts: 670 Location: Hagerstown, MD
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Outstanding couple of weeks, congrats to all involved!
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:47 am |
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Vic
King of Spring
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:40 am Posts: 2706 Location: Baltimore, MD
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
Don't get any better than that. Congrats!
_________________ Vic
Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-Pericles (430 B.C.)
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:28 am |
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WVBOY
King of Spring
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2004 1:33 pm Posts: 3038 Location: Powhatan, VA
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
That's awesome.. congrats guys..
_________________ RB
Take me Home Country Roads.
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Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:30 am |
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Tburt
Longbeard
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:09 am Posts: 293
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Re: Awesome Opening Weekend
That is an intense back to back! Congratulations!
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Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:19 pm |
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