Spring Gobbler

It’s almost here…and with the weather the way it is, I can’t wait!

SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): April 30-May 28, 2005. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during the license year.

My first longbeard came in Y2K, in Pike County. Our camp was hunting hard all morning, and fly fishing the Bushkill Creek all afternoon, into the evening. This was before the dreaded work done on the bridge at Ressica Falls Boy Scout Camp, so the fishing at the falls was awesome. We had a pass from the ranger to fish right at the base of the falls, and the fish were always biting. So much, that our arms would actually get tired from catching trout.

We had been hearing birds all week. Yet no one had landed one. Then the third morning, it was raining; the others used that as an excuse to sleep in. Not this grasshopper. I headed out at oh-dark-thirty, and found a nice place to sit and call from. It didn’t take long for the birds to sound off. But once they hit the ground, nothing. Nothing, except a single cluck. Then, about 15 minutes later, another cluck. Soon, the longbeard was walking right by my perfectly placed ambush. Perfect, because I hadn’t moved. Perfect, because of pure luck. My hunting buddies didn’t believe me at first; but that 9 inch beard and beautiful fan is mounted on my living room wall to this day.

Tips to land that first bird. More tips.