Dan Andrews Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Yesterday while hunting turkey I was amazed by the sounds of hens clucking all around me. The forest was alive and so much commotion for such a little woodlot. I listened to at least 3 different gobblers trying their hardest to pull the hens in their direction while I helplessly added to the clucking of hens trying to trick a Tom into investigating. To think these birds were extirpated and before 1983 there were none in my life time. Now there are so many even a newby hunter like myself can still harvest one. At the St Catharines game and fish there is a crowd that is a little older than me. A little older than my Father even. These people are sometimes referred to as the stubborn old guys that don't like change. I've always said they can only have their way as long as we young (I'm 40) guys let them. But as I sat listening to the chorus of this once extirpated bird I couldn't help but think, "Thank goodness these guys got their way". They insisted the ministry of NR restock these birds and they stipulated that hunting them must be allowed if the restoration was successful. So although I have frequently disagreed with Percy and exchanged some unpleasant conversation, I thank him and dedicate my first turkey to him. He is perhaps the proudest member I know who was involved in the program that is still alive today. If it were not for these stubborn old men, my little man would not have had the chance to point outside the blind today to let me know that big Tom was right there within range. Tomorrow I will report my first wild turkey harvest and have my first taste for dinner. I learned so much from the wild turkey seminars as did my Son so the lack of conservation that rid our area of these birds will never happen again. The cost of my first bird was definitely not near worth it's weight in meat but the entire experience is priceless. Thank you Percy. I hope I can contribute to something big like this before they start calling me the old guard. 23 pounds 10 inch beard 1 1/4 spur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Congratulations Dan on your first wild turkey. That's a great bird and I'm sure an even better memory of hunting with your son. Wild turkey is the best wild game dinner in my opinion, even better than a domestic. Enjoy your meal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Nice going Dan , that's a BIG turkey ! Your father loves wild turkey .When I hunted locally , right in my own back yard where I got my first cotton tail , I enjoyed hunting for pheasants . It would have been great to have turkeys , I would have gone insane bagging a 23 lb. Tom !! So I know how you felt when you dropped that big bird ! Dustin sure looks like a proud hunter ,that'll hook him ! Percy is a great guy , I worked with him at GM & we did a pike fishing trip to the 1000 Islands & had a ball . Percy is a wealth of information & he has a ton of old pictures & stories to go with each one . Listen to your elders boy !! Congrats guys .....real nice bird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Andrews Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Well the weight hasn't dropped but the spur and beard shrunk a bit overnight If measuring from the base of the hair and not the nubb that holds it, I lost nearly an inch. Not including that one long hair, I'm down to 9 1/2 inches or 241mm. The spur was 1 3/16 or 30mm. Funny how the tape measure lies while your hands are still shaking and your heart is still pounding your chest from the inside. Ya Dustin was proud. He picked the right day (a short one), he spotted it and he got to play video games while Dad did the cleaning. I did not research the spur and beard lengths but I believe that is a big turkey. I don't hunt trophy's and would probably rather eat a younger bird but this is the bugger that outsmarted and frustrated me 2 days in a row so it is fitting. There was a sour note however. This bird was FULL of fresh corn. There is no corn growing around here so that means someone nearby was baiting. Even most bird feeders don't have that much whole corn under them. Glad I got him and not the person who should not be hunting at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 That is a fine Tom you got. As for the baiting thing. It may not be legal here, but it has been accepted practice in many cases. Much of it is copied from our neighbours who don't have the same restrictions. Bait stations, salt licks are the more common. It is unfortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lund-SS Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Awsome Dan !!!!! i'm jealous , i gotta get out somewhere time to do some research Congrats on your first bird , i remember my first one was a similar size got it out simcoe way now everyone and there brother hunts there, so i dont go anymore maybe try for one with the bow hmmmm..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogliq2 Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Is it possible he may have been pigging out in a freshly planted field? If so, I wonder if it was treated corn. Don't want to be a buzz kill, just a thought. Nice bird at any rate, congrats. I lived in Crystal beach for a year. In the area of Point abino and nigh rd, there must be a thousand birds. I have seen 3 fields covered in turkeys driving by, not to mentions the road kills along there.My buddy ran over three of them at once that just darted in front of him out of the trees . No doubt the farmers in that area are going to be interested in having them thinned out soon. I'm sure they must eat alot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwolRJ Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Congrats man, nice fat one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Joe Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 WTG Chilli, nice to see that you and Dustin got your first wild turkey. Somehow I think that the Smerch would like to be a taste test critic with this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Andrews Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Dad will be enjoying some wild turkey tomorrow with steamed fiddle heads, white rice and whatever white wine he brings. Look for food in the bush to go with your wild game. If I can find some morals to go with the fiddle heads we'll be set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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