After watching and hearing about my team mates hunts I was ready to hit the woods for our Ontario turkey season. Opening morning had lots of birds gobbling but was unable to connect on a bird. The weather was a bit cool and after warming up a little in the afternnon my dad and I thought we would try a farm that had some toms on it. We arrived at about 4 and headed to our location and after getting dad set up I thought I heard a faint gobble. I left dad and headed for my spot and quickly set up my decoy and gave a call. The wind was rather brisk but I was sure I heard a gobble again. I waited about 15 minutes and gave another call and it was alot closer but sounded like it had moved over towards my dad. I figured dad should have heard it and decided to stop calling and let dad work the bird. About 10 minutes later I heard the sound of a tom spitting and drumming. I couldn't see him but I knew if I could here that he had to be close. I gave a soft call with my new copper pot call I purchased and he finally showed himself. It gave me a little show on his way over and stopped in the right place for me to drop the hammer. The old Grim Reaper barked and I had my first Ontario bird of the season. When I went out to have a look he sported a decent set of spurs and felt pretty good. Dad had never heard the bird for the wind I guess and I hope he never made his way to me over dad needing electric ears and the wind.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/102_0997.jpg)
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/102_0999.jpg)
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0018.jpg)
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0016.jpg)
Tale of the tape was 9 7/8 beard, matching 1 1/4 spurs and weighing in at 24 lbs 2oz. He should score 68.95
My daughter and I tried a few times to get a bird but have been unable to connect so far. She had to work in the evening so I took my nephew out who is 14 and his dad for his first try at a bird. He wanted to use his new 20 gauge he bought with his own money. A single shot with modified choke. He patterned it and it had a decent pattern at 20 yards so that was out range. We set and and did a little calling and got a gobble. Out a bird came and worked his way right over to our set-up. 12 yards and he shot the bird. A great jake for his first bird.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0024.jpg)
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0025.jpg)
Chunky too
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0032.jpg)
After a few days of un-eventful hunting we made our way into another farm we had watched birds on. I set up in a winter wheat field to try my luck and started calling to see what happens. Right off the get go a gobble. I thought I could see him in a tree on the far side of the field but wasn't sure. He was roosted in the middle of a fence row not in the wood lot with the other birds. Sure enough the birds started pitching down into the field but he didn't. They worked there way around at the other end of the field gobbling and doing their thing. At 7 this bird finally pitched down into the field and made his way over to me. It looked like the double beard I had seen many times here. Great, he came right over ignoring the other birds in the field and I let the Grim Reaper bark again at 8 yards. I went out thinking I got the double bearded bird but no. He had some of his beard broke off in the middle so I was mistaken. He did sport another nice set of spurs. Walking out I seen my double bearded bird walking around with a couple hens.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0039.jpg)
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x254/BEARCALLER/103_0042.jpg)
Tale of the tape is 21lbs 4oz, 1 5/16 and 1 3/16 spurs and a beard of 9 3/16. He should score 64.775 Not an upgrade but still a nice bird. Now I have to start on getting my daughter a bird after school and when she's off work.
Rob those are some very nice birds :icon_thumright: Great story and pics :thanks:
Do you still have a tag for the double beard?
That first one is a real hog. Great score. Also a beautiful thing if you can put a smile on the face of a junior hunter.
Bama,
No more tags for Ontario but with season still available in NY State I may try to get over the border and try a hunt. My only hope for double beard is if my daughter bags him or I can somehow try and run him down with the truck. :toothy12: My best bet is if my daughter bags him. :z-guntootsmiley:
Congrats Rob, thouse are some allsome birds. Johnny....