(Jaye’s pal Richard on his first successful turkey hunt)
(Jaye with the two gobblers they took this week)
This week marks the beginning of Ontario’s 2012 Spring wild turkey season – a week that many local hunters have been waiting for with baited breath.
Sure, there might be some turkeys out there without feathers, but do you think they really care what others think of them, or their sport?
How has the gobbler season been treating you since it opened yesterday? I predict better calling weather ahead for the weekend.
Drop me a line!
Outdoorsguy
Thanks to sure-shot dave for sending-in this wild turkey ‘success story’:
Turkey season opened last Wednesday. Ryan, Evan and I went out last Sunday morning to set up a ground blind and get things ready. I headed out for opening morning, it was really windy and tough calling conditions. I saw one big tom across the cornfield, but he didn’t pay any attention to my calling. He either didn’t hear me, or I suck at it in his view.
Got out Friday morning, still really windy and I was telling myself I should have just stayed in bed. Not exactly optimum hunting conditions. On my walk in I convinced myself that you can’t kill a turkey from your bed. Who knows what will happen. Set out the decoys and settled in to wait for legal light. Did some calling and didn’t hear any gobbling going on at first light. About 6, I thought I heard a gobble from the wood lot next to me. I did some excited calling, hoping that he would hear me even though he was upwind. A few minutes later I could see a turkey in the cornfield. He was about 100 yards out but slowly heading my way. I called again and he gobbled right away. For the next five minutes he half strutted his way to me. He never went into full strut, just fanned his tail a little and gobbled. He closed the gap to about 30 yards and finally spotted my decoys on the other side of the fence row. As he was making a beeline towards them I raised my gun and clicked off the safety. When he stepped out of the fence row, 1 ¾ oz of no. 6 shot met him there. He didn’t have a chance. 20lbs, 9.5” beard with 1” spurs. My best bird so far.
Saturday I took Evan and Cameron up to the camp to gather the firewood I cut over the winter. We spent a few hours doing that and watching for deer. Evan is always shooting animals when we are out there. He should fit in to the Sure Shot camp well! The winter was fairly easy for the deer, so there should be good numbers again this fall. I put the trail cameras out so soon enough we’ll know what’s out there. I did see a buck with antlers started already on my way home from work last week so I guess they’ve started growing their racks.
Sincerely, sureshot – dave
