Charlie,

Wish you had kept all that rain and cold weather. Rained cats and dogs all day yesterday and frost overnight. Had 8 new apple trees and one peach had to cover last night, and they call for frost again tonight.

Heard a gobbler at daybreak and thought it would be a good day to sneak right in on him, except all the leaves were frozen this morning. Sat down 100 yards away, but he would not answer once he came to the ground.

My six hens are still there where I killed the gobbler, now going to be old maids I guess. I'll give them a week and I'll bet some new man moves in. Just like when an old fart dies and the next thing you know theres a young whipper-snapper living with the widow using his guns, cars, money, and wife.

Saw another strutting at 10 a.m. but by the time I figured how to get across the beaver swamp he was gone from the field. But I'll be there tomorrow before first light if all goes as planned. Any luck today?

That is turkey hunting. Those who have never been would never understand why it is so addictive, but we know

The most exciting time of year. Until the next season comes in. But it is one of the best. By the end of our five week season which is a total of 31 days I am worn to a frazzle. Little sleep and bone tired. But each day in the woods is a blessing, and you are right, until one has done it, one would not understand the drive to get out of a warm bed to go listen for a bird that with his little bird-brain wins almost every time.

Planning to blitz it this weekend and hopefully get one. Not taking the kids and hoping to block out all Saturday and half of Sunday. We will see. I have been lucky to hear or see something most of the time, even when I was out later in the day.

Be careful of those old longbeards that clam up and won't say a word after you call. They're wise to you or aren't sure of who or what is over there sounding like another bird...... They'll sneak in on you from a different direction and stay in the thick stuff watching for you to give yourself away when you scratch an itch or turn your head looking around and then, BAM... you're busted!!!!

That is right Another reason it is so much fun.

Every turkey hunter should own and read a copy of America's Greatest Game: Archibald Rutledge's Turkey Stories, edited by Jim Casada. Great stories and lots of pointers on techniques. A lot of the stories take place in South Carolina, but there are a fair amount that take place in the Pennsylvania/West Virginia mountains, for you northern hunters.

Rutledge hunted with a Parker to boot

Ahem..... Pennsylvania and West Virginia ain't even close to "northern". :bigbye:

They didn't secede, did they? :whistle:

Okay, I get it.... I thought you were talking latitude, but now I see you're defining North in terms of the Mason-Dixon line of demarcation... :)