Ohio fall boondoggle

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
My hunting buddy Turkeyfoot and I headed out at midnight last Saturday night for a weeks long camping trip/turkey killing/spring scouting trip. Temperatures dropped the whole way and we encountered some pretty heavy snow in WVa, enough to start turning the roads white. We finally reached our destination at daybreak and secured a campsite. IMG_2281.JPGIMG_2282.JPGIMG_2285.JPGThe trip and getting camp squared away was the easy part, we had all week to get a bird killed, and from our past ventures to the Buckeye State we figured it may take time to find them, but we had no problems....wrong !!
Temps were cold at night but the days were nice and sunny, we stayed dry the whole time, but the wind was another story. For most of the week, if a flock of birds was 100 yds away you would have never heard them. Pesky arse wind is what it was. Bird sign was very minimal vs. what we encounter on most spring trips and finding them became a huge challenge.
I have never seen a mast crop that involved every tree, of every species, producing as many nuts as each tree could produce at exactly the same time. Bumper crop would be a huge understatement. In most places you walked it was exactly like walking on ball bearings. Very frustrating. The turkeys must have had a convention scheduled in another county that week, as we found none on public or private. We did have a blast, ate like kings and enjoyed a very much needed break from the grind of working, that is what mattered most...also found a few spots to slay spring gobblers in '19....we'll be back...?
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
Also saw my first Stickbug and saw a wooly worm that is predicting a mild winter contrary to what the mast crop says. Love looking at the many caves in the area and touring the various iron furnaces that date back pre-civil war era.
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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
We had blast can't wait get on road again an nothing like laughing your arse off over campfire. Come on spring.
 

dobber

Old Mossy Horns
Looks like you guys had a great time.
I have always heard the opposite of the wooly buggers, and have always seen more snow the more i see on the roads up north.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Looks like you guys had a great time.
I have always heard the opposite of the wooly buggers, and have always seen more snow the more i see on the roads up north.
Its color he referring to I've heard both ways but usually more black means more winter is old saying
 

PG2

Ten Pointer
When I lived up there I would go every fall to our cabin in PA to chase the turkey... Man did I put a lot of miles doing that! In the fall they follow the feed and when you have a bumper crop like this year is makes it really tough to get on them...
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
well your last sentence shows a worthwhile adventure: "spots to slay spring gobblers" :)

Nothing like a good scouting adventure.
Turkeyfoot said it was too bad that he couldn't buy his spring tag now...he'd go ahead and punch it....calling his shot for opening day already ??
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Glad you had a great time even though you couldn't find any birds to play with. I've been in the same boat lately - just can't find the birds....
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Wasn't for lack effort when we got back I was whooped for a day now ready to go do it all over again. Live the fall woods them nuts were just unreal anyone going to bow hunt up there should be prepared
 
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