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A quick hunt with the Warden!

2013-05-18T14:59:06-05:00

My wife has been working a lot this spring and she hasn’t been able to get out yet until this morning. I had a spot set up just for her and I was hoping that the birds would play along with the program this morning. We were sitting in our spot just before 5 this morning and it didn’t take long for the gobbling to start. We had a bird roosted exactly where I wanted him to be and just before fly down time I let out a couple of soft tree yelps on my slate which he cut off on the second note both times. I put the call down and told her to get ready. Only one tom gobbled on the roost but once they started to fly down it was like an airport for a few minutes. We had turkeys landing all around us. First some hens,then eight jakes followed but a nice tom. As the tom was wandering into the range of her 20 ga. another tom stepped out right in front of us. It was a bad move on his part because the Warden wasted no time in dropping the hammer on him. The other birds kept going about their business after the shot and if we could have shot another one it would have been a very easy double. Legal light was 5:28 this morning and she had her tom down by 6:25. Nothing but business! It was a nice tom weighing in at 20.2 pounds with a nine inch beard and matching 7/8” spurs. We had a great morning!

Ben

BROTHERHOOD OUTDOORS TURKEY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2013-03-28T16:11:29-05:00

I JUST HAD A DREAM COME TRUE FELLOW UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BROTHERHOOD OUTDOOR SHOW JUST CALLED AND IT IS CONFIRMED!!! I AM GOING TO HAVE THE HONOR OF TURKEY HUNTING WITH DANIEL LEE MARTIN AND JULIE MCQUEEN THIS SPRING IN TENNESSEE!!!!!!!! W HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET ME SAY IT AGAIN…..WOO HOOOO!!!!!! I CANNOT EXPRESS MY THANKS AND GRATIFICATION TO THE UNION SPORTSMEN ALLIANCE AND OUR INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS INTO PROVIDING JUST AN OPPORTUNITY SUCH AS THIS FOR ALL UNION MEMBERS TO EVEN GET A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING SUCH AS THESE…. LET ALONE ACTUALLY MAKING IT REALITY. I LITERALLY FELL ON THE FLOOR WHEN THE CALL CAME AND THE NEWS WAS TOLD!!! WHAT A FIRST CLASS ORGANIZATION WE UNION MEMBERS GET ACCESS TO THROUGH THE USA NOT ONLY IN FIGHTING AND SUPPORTING OUR UNION BELIEFS BUT HONORING THEM!!!!!!!!! I HOPE I DO NOT OFFEND ANYBODY WHEN I MAKE THIS NEXT STATEMENT BUT HERE IT GOES:

I’M DAMN PROUD TO BE UNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winding down here in central VA.

2013-05-12T18:10:27-05:00

Our season is winding down with only 1 week left. Overall has been a good season,plenty of big birds took a dirt nap here. My goal this spring was to take a bird with a 20 ga.Rem 870. Pulled that off the First Wed of the season.Nice 2 year old @ 31 yards. Hope you guys had a good spring season in your piece of turkey woods!

Laying them down in Ontario!

2013-05-09T15:27:29-05:00

On saturday I had the treat of taking a long time friend out on his first ever hunt. We’ve been friends for over twenty years and Vic finally decided to give hunting a try. I told him a turkey hunt would get him hooked so that was that. We were going turkey hunting this spring! After a long morning of having three jakes and a tom hang up just out of range we went to another farm for an afternoon hunt. When we got there three toms were already out on the field strutting away and a few jakes and hens were scattered all over the place. I knew getting close to these birds would be tough but we took the long way in and managed to get there undetected. Right away I had two toms fired up and coming in but aside from a quick glimpse they never came in all the way. Half an hour later we could see two toms moving out into the open field we had just crossed so I figured we’d move to another spot and call again. We no sooner sat down when I heard some rustling in the leaves directly behind us. I slowly turned my head in time to see a nice tom on a mission crossing in behind us at about thirty yards. Vic was facing the wrong way so when the tom went behind a couple of old logs I spun around and dropped him when he came out. Before we stood up Vic whispered Look! Four more birds were following the first one. When they came into view I could see they were jakes but Vic was after his first ever turkey so when all four ran over to my dead bird and started giving him a proper beating Vic picked one out and hammered him! A double on his first ever turkey hunt! Pretty cool and we hunted all day to do it so I think he earned it!His jake was 18.2 pounds,the biggest jake I’ve ever seen. My tom was 20.1 pounds with a 10 3/8 beard and 1 inch spurs. What a day!

Ben

Getting it done in Ontario

2013-04-26T18:00:38-05:00

Yesterday was the opening day of the Ontario turkey season and to say we were having some bad weather is an understatement! Lots of rain,high winds and even snow and ice pellets were seen throughout the day. At first light it was -2 and the turkeys weren’t talking. As the day warmed up my partner and I started looking for a bird to work and at 12:45 we finally struck a pair of toms and they were close. We scrambled to the nearest tree and flopped down and got ready to shoot. One three note yelp was all it took and these two toms popped out of the heavy cover at twenty five yards. Two shots later and we had ourselves a double! They both had matching 7/8” spurs but Tony’s had a 10 1/4” beard and weighed 22.2 pounds while mine was a skinny guy at 17.1 pounds but he was double bearded with an 11 1/4” and 6 3/8” beards! What a way to start the season!

Ben

Little Jake

2013-04-21T17:39:28-05:00

Hopes for the “rope” were dashed early this morn. We could see them about sixty yards out all henned up, open field and just no interest in our dekes or calls. There was a whole herd of mixed big boys, jakes and hens completely satisfied with what they had. Eventually they all meandered off out of site to parts unknown. My hunting partner was my boss and with his field time as thin as mine, there were fires he needed to put out, so off he went. Well it was still too early for me to give up, and since it was a rare outing for me, I just wasn’t done yet. So I headed back the mile walk where they were earlier. Within a few hundred yards from the morning set up, I could see what looked like a pasture full of buffalo having a party. I just knew because of the wide open area there would be no way to make a stalk without spooking them. I decided to slowly walk the fence line along the creek, pause when the periscopes came up between strutting and feeding and hoped to close the distance. At about a 100 yards out, I went to the belly crawl mode thru the tall weeds. As I approached, I would lift my head just enough to see the tops of fans in the distance, then put the snorkel on and crawled some more. There were a few big Oaks at the edge of the field they were in, and my thought was if I could make them, I might just have a chance. After what seemed like a hour of dodging cow pies and thistle, I made my destination. As I parted the weeds at the end of my journey, there were no birds in sight. A little disappointed, I just decided to lay low and glass. After about 30 min. or so, fans started to appear about 80 yards out. Nobody was talking and my calls had no response. All I could do was watch as eight huge birds, two Jakes and six hens mulled about in no particular direction. It was incredible to watch so many Toms strut their stuff all at once. Another 15 minutes later and they were all headed my way. I began to feel I might have a chance. Still my calls had no effect other than a glance my direction. They continued to move toward me when they all started to move from that wide open field to the really thick stuff toward the creek. My heart sank again. Then as the big boys followed their harem out of site, the two Jakes kept coming toward me. I squeaked out of couple of soft clucks and they began to run right at me! What a surprise when one poked his head up at 30 yards. I was ready and so was my Winchester with a load of copper plated number fives. He definitely won’t make any record books. Three inch beard with virtually no spurs, but still weighed almost 17 lbs. Just happy to get out, and happy to connect.

Time to put in for NM Draw Hunts

2013-03-04T09:53:05-05:00

I just got done putting for my draw hunts this year with my hunting friends. We have been hunting together for over 7 years now. I rolled the dice on Deer and Elk and hopefully get drawn for one. If not-there is always over the counter bear hunt.

#2 for the season

2013-04-14T13:59:07-05:00

Oconee National Forest,Putnam County GA.,13APR13. Running late to get to where a couple 2 yr olds won the battle 2weeks ago on 2 different setups. Didn’t know it was 2 coming in & went to move gun in his direction as he was still 60 yrds out. PUTT!,oops. Make a big circle around them,pick em back up hour later. They come in behind & gun sling hangs up on an exposed root & they walk off before I can get a bead on one.
So I’m back, its good light already so start walking & calling right off the bat. Hour later & half mile in, GOBBBBLLLLEEE,200 yrds down the creek,set up,10 mins later hes not moving,so I do.Start closing the distance,stopping & waiting for him to answer the crows till I’m easy inside 100 yrds. Set up ,he answers, hit him with cutting on diaphram & slate @ same time,he doubles & I shut up. 10 mins later he’s making a bee line up the other side of the creek,soft yelp twice,he turns , & crosses this creek for the last time. And same as the first one, he flops right back into the creek, another 10 1/4 beard,1 1/16 spurs, maybe 18 lbs. And still got a month to go!!!

Boss VS Boss,I Win!

2013-03-24T15:04:48-05:00

Opening day in GA. Working 150 miles from home found me looking for a new piece of public land to hunt. Scouted 1 day 2 weeks ago,hmmm,this place has potential,as long as it isn’t too crowded. Invited an electrican even further from home to tag along,& together this ol tom couldn’t stand it. Set up on a creek so I could shoot across it. He was right on the bank & would have been literally rite in my lap had not the load of 6’s turned his head to jelly! Thanks for the backup Brandon of Kentucky, too bad we couldn’t make it a double ,maybe next time.
1.25” hooks!
10 .25” beard
20+ lbs

TURKEY TIME!!!!

2013-03-21T15:39:02-05:00

Hey fellow union bird hunters!!!!! it’s getting close to chase them weary longbeards!!!! heard birds gobling this past weekend!! can’t wait to put a lone strutter feet in front my T/C Muzzleloader….