ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997 TAG: 9704170050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: outdoors
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
Carson Quarles has killed all four strains of wild turkeys in North America - something called a Grand Slam - but the gobbler that approached his stand in Botetourt County on Monday was the champion of the bunch.
``I've never seen one that big in my life,'' said Quarles, a retired Roanoke bank executive.
Quarles had challenged the big bird Saturday, when the spring gobbler season opened, but came home empty-handed. He knew the old boy's habits: roost near a logging road, fly down, then head up the logging road.
Quarles got up extra early Monday so he would have time to walk up the logging road in the dark past where the tom roosted without spooking it. He then set up and waited for first light in the area where the gobbler usually traveled after its fly-down.
Just after daylight, the turkey gobbled from its roost, then hit the ground, but instead of coming toward Quarles he headed in the opposite direction.
``What he was doing, he was circling around the ridge to come in behind me,'' Quarles said . ``Then he gobbled 40 yards behind me.''
Quarles was able to do a 180 and shoot without spooking the tom. When he reached his trophy he realized it was considerably bigger than any he'd ever killed. At home, on a set of fishing scales, it weighed 25 pounds. Finding that hard to believe, Quarles rushed to Buchanan where a set of official scales showed ``it was right at 25 pounds.''
While few, if any, toms taken this season will equal that - 20 pounds is a big one - the size of the average gobbler has been impressive. David Webb, who owns the Fishing Hole tackle shop in Roanoke, said the average weight of the 13 birds checked at his store through Wednesday was 19 pounds.
``The fellows are telling me they aren't having to work the birds much. They are coming right into them,'' Webb said.
The turkeys aren't just big; they are abundant. Old Mill Grocery reported checking 35 through Wednesday. The tally included a 22-pounder killed by Richard Pauley of Daleville and a 19-pounder by his son, Michael, a Virginia Tech student. The two hunters had heard several toms gobbling on their roost.
``All it took was a low-key call, none of that fancy stuff,'' Richard Pauley said . ``They would eat up everything you did. I had Michael set up, so, hopefully, the turkeys would look for me and would come to him.''
The gobblers came within killing range of Richard, but Michael couldn't see them from his position.
``I could hear them strutting and all the time I couldn't see them,'' Michael said . ``I knew Dad wondered why I didn't shoot.''
When he got the chance, Michael dropped a gobbler, flushing two others. Richard killed one on the wing.
``We hugged each other and shook hands,'' Richard said. ``We sat there for a long time, almost as if we were paying our respects. This isn't something you want to rush.''
NICE CATCHES: James Myers of Roanoke caught a 5-pound smallmouth bass at Smith Mountain Lake, one of several hefty fish weighed at Camper Paradise. The catches have included 20-pound plus striped bass and 2-pound crappie.
Briery Creek Lake produced a 141/2-pound largemouth bass for an Ohio fisherman.
Striped bass weighing 18 to 24 pounds continue to be caught in the tailrace of Kerr Dam, mostly when power is being generated. Other stripers have moved well up the lake where they are positioned for their spawning run.
Ritchie Hurst of Radford landed a 30-pound, 3-ounce catfish at Claytor Lake.
TOURNAMENT IS SATURDAY: The Star City Bassmasters tournament to benefit the Special Olympics, is Saturday on Smith Mountain Lake. The wrong day was listed on Monday's Outdoor Page. Registration is 5:30 to 6:45 a.m. at Waterwheel Marina. Information is available from Chuck Hart, 387-6136.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB