Some pic's from 2011 turkey season , so far + video link

[R.J.]

Our prey = Eastern Wild Turkey " Meleagris gallopavo "

We hunted several farms and took some beauty birds on our 2011 Ontario Turkey opening day ...

Vic R. , Tim and Jim S. were set up in local spots ...
They had some decent action in the morning .Vic and Tim took a beauty Jakes ( shotgun ) .

Jim S. took a beauty Jake ( Excal crossbow ) .



This is link to Jim S's video ... Excalibur Equinox with video mount above scope .
( cool video , great shot ... jake expires within sight of ground blind )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JR7JzFm_bU

Randy,Chris,Skip and myself were set up on two farms across a concession road from each other ... we saw birds in the morning , but none of us connected !

We broke for breakfast approx 9:30am and had a good laugh at a video Chris took showing a missed opportunity on three beauty birds !
( hey ... it happens , and even better when you catch it on video so your buddies can rub it in ! )

Skip had to go , so Randy , Chris and myself put time in on another 5 farms total .... we came up with three birds total in the afternoon .

Man did we get wet ! ... Randy picked up a beauty opening day Jake with his newly acquired Remington 870 pump .



I picked up a nice Tom with my Y25 Relayer ( Easton XX75 with 130 gr Wasp Broadhead ) ...
My wife took a picture with my pocket camera , once all my gear was dried off in the barn .
( arrow still in place .. at 42 yards I didn't get a pass thru )



7 1/2 inch beard ...



1 1/8 spurs ...



As I mentioned before .. CH " Chris " and his father in law "Skip " missed a few birds all caught on video !
Chris redeemed himself and got a nice Tom later in the afternoon with his Remington 1187 .



I originally had the week off , but with fluctuations in my work schedule ,
I'm back on night shift and busy fitting in spring chores at home between bouts of rain !
" Gotta make hay while the sun is shining ! "
Never get lonely doing chores ...
I have the " crew " with me at all times ! ( " Spike " our mini Dachshund , " Jade " our lab , and " Gus " our pet Tom )



" Gus " is never far away and can be heard gobbling ( I love that sound ! ) every time I swing a hammer or make noise working on the barn etc... The barn is very old and its age and construction design lend it to heave / sway during the different weather swings ... so the slinding rail door needs lots of adjustment !





Here are few other pic's I pulled from the memory card ...
Early this month a Mennonite farmer planting ...



And a couple of scavengers ...





We will be back at it Saturday trying to fill our 2nd tags ... Good luck to all that venture out ... Safe Hunt and have fun !

[rt2bowhunter]

Great pics thanks for sharing.

[Rich]

As always RJ, nice pics. I thought Gus was the most realistic decoy I have seen when I first looked, pretty cool to hear him gobble all the time.

[secret]

Great photos! Congrats on the harvests! But i like "GUS" the best !!!!!!!!! I need to get me a pet Turkey. Awesome!

[Raymond]

Nice pics and hunting adventure. Is that turkey a different breed than the ones you hnt in Ontario? He sure is a beautiful bird.
Raymond

[beagler]

Nice!

[j.krug]

Excellent pics there!
Thanks for sharing them with us.

[R.J.]

Thanks all ....

I got a few PM's about " Gus " ..
I picked him up at a fur and feather auction in Woodstock a few years ago .. he is a domesticated " Bronze " Turkey .

I've always enjoyed having pheasants / pigeons / chuckar / bob whites etc. in the past , so I thought it would be cool to change things up and get a turkey . He has been a great pet , is very tame , struts around while we are out on the property and provides lots of comic relief !

It's cool to hear him gobble all the time ... and he shows up in many of my picture threads

I also got a few PM's about " why no pass thru " ?
Well , it was a long shot in my books ( 42 yards ranged ) ( I have been practicing at 50 yards for months ) ( and remember , turkeys don't squat / duck the string at release )

This Tom came in with a couple jakes along a hardwood ridge ... they past a 42 yard tree I had ranged ... When the Tom's head was behind a tree , I moved my Y25 Relayer into position and spooked a jake ... the Tom started to quarter away when he cleared the tree ... the 2216 licked thru some light slash and picked him up quartering away .. the 130 grain Wasp broadhead tore thru the vitals but slowed when it caught some breast and wing bone on the opposite side .... bowled him over and he did a " dead on his feet " wing flap run over the ridge , where I found him piled up .

Bottom line ... the 2216 did the job !

[wheelie]

So what exaclly does Gus think of all these turkey's coming home dead? Does Gus enjoy a good turkey dinner also? Congrads on all the birds.

[Mr. Dynamite]

So what exaclly does Gus think of all these turkey's coming home dead?

That's what I was wondering too! He is strutting in every picture you see of him!

How much meat is lost to the broadhead by a body shot?

[Sliver]

Congratulations on your successful hunt!

Great photos, and video! Thanks for sharing..