With Ontario’s wild turkey season only a few short weeks away, gobbler enthusiasts are anxiously preparing their calls and guns for one of the most exciting times of the year.
Although I have never actually tried turkey hunting, I do share the great excitement of this sport. I even went so far as taking the Ministry’s Turkey Seminar over 20-years ago, but never managed to find time to put it into effect. It is on my ‘to-do’ list.
Chasing gobblers is something I enjoy doing vicariously through other hunters as I imagine, much like moose hunting, calling turkeys is pretty damn exciting. I do know as with calling moose, there is a certain level of skill and patience involved and that not every hunter is a ‘gobbler guru’. It takes years of work and practise to become to proficient at.
The Tom turkey is one tough and wary adversary.
That moment when a big gobbler is fooled into your call and decoy arrangement must be especially satisfying to the turkey hunter; following hours of patiently waiting, watching and listening.
In celebration of this year’s wild turkey season, I invite all your gobbler enthusiasts out there to send me your best wild turkey hunting stories.
Let’s show them why Ontario’s majestic wild turkey is fast becoming one of the most popular game animals in North America.
Outdoorsguy
I agree, not easy. Yet to harvest mine (after 4 years). My main problem is the patience to stay put without moving an eyebrown.
I also have the Ontario certificate, but also considering getting the one in my home Province, since they have not only opened the season recently, but also extended it this year.
For those who wish good advice, I recommend the individual in this clip:
Beach Road in Kempvtille is just FULL of Turkeys. They have been camping out in back farm feilds and this one mans front yard all winter.
Maybe if you ask him politely he will get one for you 😛
I have shot many turkeys in the USA and Ontario. My most memorable one was the first year I took my daughter of 12 hunting for turkeys for the first time with a license the year before she hunted it was a complete disaster we were at our watch and I heard noise to the left of me and told Taylor to sit still. She did as I asked and when I turned my head to the left I seen it a big fat skunk. I told Taylor to turn her head to the right and wait for the deer to come to her. I knew if she new it was a skunk she would move and we would get it. She turned her head slowly to the right and waited for the deer. The skunk then came and sniffed the bottom of my boot and turned a walked away, I got up quickly and told her to lets go. I told her latter what happened she was happy I did not tell her it was. I managed 2 turkeys that year but like I mentioned earlier was when she was 12 first year hunting and first day out she shot her first bird at 30 yards with a 20 gauge not only did she do a good job killing it she also cleaned it and cooked it her self. I am a proud father that day
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a100/jasonwhyte/DSC_0162.jpg
I’ve hunted with Adrian, took my first turkey while being guided by him, he is Canada’s premier turkey hunting guide. If your not sure what your doing or you want to learn even more, he’s the guy. He was the first Canadian with the North American Turkey Grand Slam and he knows his stuff. He also guides in Pennsylvania and Florida. This guy knows turkeys. He’s also a deer, bear and moose hunter but his expertise is turkeys.
if I’m not mistaken he’s at the Carp spring Sportsman Show
This is not an infomercial, I call em as I see em
Iggy, I know first-hand that you’re a great PR man..Adrian would be lucky to have you!
Any plans of going out after gobblers this year?
Outdoorsguy
Thanks for the story Chessy, I cant wait to take my daughter out hunting for the first time..although the one who’s interested in the outdoors is still only 8, so I have a few years left to go..
Outdoorsguy
Hey Jeff why is it when i’m turkey hunting and after about two hours or so i have a heard of these giant bush chickens walking right up to the decoys and then a couple of does walk up and take a sniff of the decoys then chase the birds away . it is funny to watch but i aways get my birds any how . Oh ya buy the way there is a lot of them right behinde the arena in cumberland i think they come down from the rich part of town that would be camebridge hights .
Paul, I wonder if those ‘high class’ turkeys up there taste any better?
I doubt it, as I know the water in Cambrian Heights isn’t any good.
Outdoorsguy
CountryGirl..thanks for the heads-up…wonder how that man feels about having all the new pets?
Outdoorsguy
” jeff.morrison says:
March 11, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Iggy, I know first-hand that you’re a great PR man..Adrian would be lucky to have you!
Any plans of going out after gobblers this year?
Outdoorsguy
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I call them as I see them, and I don’t wtite good things about bad people, I just be quiet….most of the time LOL
Got two spots, one out onDwyer Hill Rd but no luck there yet and another sport near Arnprior, it’s new this year and I am going to scout it soon, the owner sees birds there all the time.
All this talk of turkey season, drove me last evening to register and take my on-line (Internet) course for the QC Province. Passed the tests with success, and was advised that I would get my certificate in about 2 weeks.
Now that was quite a different method of learning and passing a test, compared to the one followed a few years back for the Ontario certificate.
Good for you LeGrand!
Just wondering, has the QC turkey course always been available online, or
is that something more recent…Im not sure they offer that in Ontario yet.
Are there still restrictions for turkey hunting in Zone 10
Outdoorsguy
how much did it cost… but it really does not matter as the ofah has a monopoly on selling (hiring people to sell there stuff) I never seen such a crazy booth then when i got my course there must have been thousands of dollars spent
Wow, nice to see a hunting story and columnist!!! Thank You, from a hunter to another.
Jeff, the online course came out last year (Fall) I beleive. The course is also offered by instructors for over a year (remember the experimental hunts in Zone 8 south of Montreal, close to Hemminford). As for the restriction in Zone 10, they abolished the hunt of wild turkeys during the small game season, and I don’t think they have the restrictions for the split zone 10 (south & North) either.
Chessy, cost was $60.00. You do get a nice book also with your certificate, I’m told. Got to wait for mine to arrive by mail.
Hey Bush24(or is that 24 Busch)
Welcome aboard!
This is the next chapter to my old Ottawa SUN outdoors columns, if you ever read it.
Glad you’ve found us, now take a look around and hope to hear from you again soon..
Regards,
Outdoorsguy
LeGrand, it sounds like they’ve made the turkey course easy at least, similar to the boaters exam and probably a lot more interesting,,,
Boy, the QC courses have come a long way since I took my hunting course back in 1979..hehe
Best of luck!
Outdoorsguy
I’ve started my scouting, got my permission slips my bow is sighted in and my pretty bow is looking very pretty!!!..now c’mon April 26th!!!
You said ‘bow’ right Serge?
So, you’ve graduated from hunting turkey with a shotgun then?
Do tell us more…
Outdoorsguy
I’ve hunted the last 2 years with bow and gun, but this year I got myself a nice Double Bull blind, so I will be trying to tag my 2 turkeys with the bow this year. Just a bit more of a challenge. Plus, with my Pretty boy all done up, I hope to pull them in to 6-10 yards…wich I hope can be an easy shot. 🙂 LOL