Been traveling round working so much, I decided to do some hunting while working down near Nashville.....
Got the go ahead from good friends, whom I have worked with now for 12 years, to go up the hollar and over the ridge to do some turkey hunting.
Thursday morning came early and I stopped in at Lewis Country Store and got my tag. Hurried to the Smith's on Bull Run Road and parked, grabbing my stuff and running up the hill...ok, I jogged. lol Went to where they told me to set up, sureenuff, 3 diff toms sound off soon as I hit the Hooks Bronze slate.
Tom comes in at 25 yards and I dont have a shot due to thick brush from where I was sitting...He didnt like the dekes and slowly went around a tree, never came out and guess he walked away an down the ridge. While pondering where he went, another strutting gobbler came down the ridge and hungup at 60 yards, strutting & spitting N drumming... Never gobbled. And then he disappeared. 1 hour and I was frazzled.
Hunted another property that afternoon.....nothing,nada, no courtesy gobbles etc.
So, back up the mountain I go...jogging...ok, I climbed, with a few stops here and there.
I set up, and before I can call I hear a gobble 2-300 yards behind me, cant hunt there...so I hit my call and hear a couple gobbles farther in front of me, cant hunt there either...hmmm
So, after and hour of setting, I thought I best run the ridge and see if I can get something to happen.
I walk that ridge for aprox 600 yards...yelping hard and cutting every 50-100 yards or so. I pass a nice open area on the ridge. Hit my mouth call and nada...walk another 100 yards, hit the call, nothing. I reluctantly turn around and reach the open area again, walk to the middle of the ridge and hit the call hard....2 booming gobbles! Sounded like they was halfway up the other ridge that I was facing. I walk to edge of ridge and glance down to the flat. Hit my mouth call again...both of them gobble.. Ok, I am in the game,
I walk to the flat, and spy a tree that I can get up to...pretty open, yet 2 trees in front of me about 20 yards, with a little brush, but very shootable. I hit the call again and cutted hard a few times, they both hammered at me and I knew they was already in the bottom and coming my way.
I get the gun up, leaned forward a touch, hit the mouth call again and boy those throaty gobbles shook me up...but I was ready. Popped the safety off, and threw my mouth to the left and called, GOBBLE, then I threw my mouth to the right and yelped like the hottest hen that side of Dixie. GORRRRRBBLE
Man they was close, but I couldnt see them...wait, I see him now, coming around the 2 big oaks in front of me, heading to the left a little, looking for the hen.
I shifted my gun over to the left 4 inches and soon as my fiber optic sites lined up, his deep blue and snow white head popped up...BANG
the other one jumped up and flew like he was done playing with the mean hen.
I jack another magblend into my 870 12, walked down to where he was flopping around a little and took the moment to heart. Not many people get to enjoy mountain gobblers.
I feel that mountains is where I like to hunt the best.
nice thick beard, over 1" spurs and 24lbs of heavy.
So, Tennessee Mountain Gobbling is the music I love best.
Hope yall have a blessed spring, and get the chance to hunt some mountain gobblers!
Heres my Tom...
