2009.04.14
Sonny Hodges scores on an opening day gobbler
Sonny Hodges' spring gobbler season got off to a good start when he killed this nice Franklin County bird at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
We all know the classic hunt is to have a big tom rattling off gobbles all the way in. Didn't happen here. Hodges said this bird gobbled only one time before it got within range of Hodges' Remington 870. The gobbler, which weighed 21 pounds and had 1-inch spurs and a 10-inch beard, had six hens with him.
I was out of town for the weekend so couldn't hunt. It was pretty windy in Virginia Beach so if it was anything like that here, it was probably a tough morning. I probably won't get out until next week.
Any reports or more shots? Send them my way.
Congratulations Sonny !
that is definitley a gorgeous, mature bird.
Comment by Ralph Barton — April 14, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
went hunting in Floyd Co. last weekend...got in the woods late and jumped two flocks off the roost as we were walking up the mtn...the gobblers were relatively quiet, but I think it's still fairly early for them to gobbling full blast and the hunting should pick up in a couple weeks, at least where we're hunting...as a side note, a couple other birds were still on the roost around 9:30, which we thought was a little odd
Comment by Matt — April 14, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
I also hunted in Floyd County last Saturday and only heard one lone Tom about 200 yards away but could never close the distance with my calling. Once I got back to the top of the ridge in the laurel thickets I jumped a lone Tom which may have been the same one but I agree they are not gobbling much right now.
Comment by Jason — April 15, 2009 @ 10:28 am
Congrats Sonny! Nice bird. As far as birds on the roost at 9:30, I've bumped'em out of trees around lunch time before. Watched'em fly up on a limb and fly right back down a little while later, who knows what goes on in that little head of theirs!
Comment by Jim Basham — April 23, 2009 @ 4:40 pm