Turkey Season in West Virginia

Spring Turkey Season opened in West Virginia on April 25, 2011.  The first morning, I got to my spot before dawn and called in a couple of gobblers within the first hour.  The first stayed out of range.  The second saw me raise my shotgun and then took off.   I did not leave empty handed, however, as I stumbled upon a handful of mollymoochers on my way out of the woods.  

The second morning, Tuesday morning, I was making my way to my spot just as the sun was coming up, when I heard a gobbler ahead of me and over the ridge near the spot to which I was heading.  I stopped short of the ridge and headed around the ridge instead of over.  Before I broke around the ridge I heard him gobble loudly, revealing that he was heading my way.  He must have heard me climbing through the woods, because there was no need to call.  They do not mind noise as long as they imagine that it might be another turkey.  

I froze when I heard him again.  Dropped my gear and stood with gun to the ground.  When he came around the ridge in front of me, I waited for him to pass behind a tree, and then aimed at where he would reappear on the other side of the tree.  He poked his head out about 40 yards ahead of me.  Standing frozen on a steep hillside with a heavy shotgun aimed  at a fixed point is not easy, but is essential due to turkeys' immediate reaction to any movement whatsoever.  I waited for him to clear the tree and then fired.  

He rolled down the hillside, flapping violently, in a way that made me wonder if I would lose him.  West Virginia hillsides are very steep, and he could easily keep rolling toward the bottom if nothing stopped him.  I grabbed my gear, put my gun on safety and then ran downhill as fast as I possible could.  Had anyone seen me, I am sure they would never have imagined that I could have moved so quickly or easily through rough terrain.  I am sure it was a combination of both the adrenalin and my imagination that made my feat possible.  I caught up with him about 50 yards down the hillside.  

He weighed well over 20 pounds and is now situated neatly in my freezer.    Eager to do it all again. 

No Weapons Allowed

So, I went to Magic Mart (our local poor mans' Walmart) the other day and noticed a sign displayed prominently at the entrance. It said, "Absolutely No Firearms Permitted on this Property."

I assume that this was aimed at law-abiding citizens with legally acquired guns and concealed carry permits, such as myself. It certainly wasn't aimed at thieves and murderers, was it?

After all, if they saw such a sign, they would stop in their tracks and say to themselves, "Aw shucks! And I wanted to rob this store at gunpoint. I guess I will have to do it with a stick or something. Gimme a second while I go put my gun back in my car."

I think a more effective sign should read, "Absolutely No Thieves or Murderers Permitted on this Property." That of course would prevent them from entering the store with their murdering or thieving intent while at the same time allowing law-abiding citizens to retain their constitutional rights.

No wait. I am sorry. That is just stupid. Murderers and thieves will do what they want regardless of what signs are out front. It is only law-abiding citizens, who have no intent to murder to rob, who will begrudgingly comply with Magic Mart's silly prohibition. So then, does Magic Mart's sign accomplish anything whatsoever of value?