Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
2:45 am Friday, April 5, 2002

Wilson bags first gobbler

By By Mike Giles
April 5, 2002
There's nothing quite as exciting as calling up an old battle scarred gobbler that's been fighting off all comers. Seventeen-year-old Lance Wilson, a Meridian High senior, recently experienced the ultimate thrill of harvesting his first long beard. What makes the feat more impressive is the fact that he called the turkey up with a diaphragm call that he had purchased just hours earlier.
Sometimes it takes a lifetime to master a mouth call and some people just never get the hang of it. Wilson didn't know you weren't supposed to buy a call and then promptly go harvest your first turkey on the same day. But youth was served on this day, as he did exactly that!
Shortly after church one Sunday he went to a store and bought a new mouth call. A couple of hours later found him sitting in the woods of rural Neshoba County listening for the sound of a hen or old gobbler. After a short wait, he decided to follow a trail toward an area that usually held some birds.
As he made his way down the trail he thought that he heard some turkey activity in a nearby field. Stalking slowly through the woods he eased his way up near the field to check out the activity. Sure enough, he spotted a trio of gobblers with a harem of hens. Setting up for the action he found a good vantage point to keep an eye on the birds while waiting for them to make their move.
Moment of truth
After watching the flock for a little while, Wilson saw the hens head into the woods for parts unknown. As the hens departed, the gobblers followed as if in tow by an invisible string. Two of the large birds were strutting and cutting up. Wilson knew that it was time for action or he would risk losing sight of the gobblers for good. As he sent out some pleading yelps from the mouth call, two of the gobblers abruptly turned and made a beeline straight in his direction.
One of the gobblers never came out of a full strut and was really primed for business. He was ready for that one last hen on the day and he wasn't about to let her get away. Sometimes you can do everything right and still come away empty handed. On other days everything seems to happen just right. This was one of those days for this aspiring young hunter.
The turkeys were almost identical but one was clearly the dominant bird. As they zeroed in on the hen, Lance picked out the lead gobbler and took aim. At 35 yards he let him have it with a full load of number 5 shot. In the blink of an eye the old bird was down and out for the count. And another gobbler had bit the dust done in by a lone young hunter who had gone one on one with the long beard and won!

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025