Bearpaw Season -Spring 2013

[KFhunter]

Might got some cattle dip chems laying around somewhere, that oughta work 

[BOWHUNTER45]

All thats the way to get us all excited  just as long they stay in Colville ...all is good !

[h2ofowlr]

Some great birds!  Looks like the season is going good!

[bearpaw]

Birds were pretty quiet today in the areas I hunt. Robert make a clean one shot kill on this nice looking 2 year old bird at first light, congrats to Robert on a fine bird. I couldn't find any other action today and no roost tonight either, tomorrow might be a tougher day.  I'm headed to bed, my behind is dragging.

[bearpaw]

Here's Robert with his #2 bird (jake) and his wife Esther with her #1 bird (mature tom) both taken yesterday morning. I also attached some other photos taken during their stay.

After the morning hunt we took a little tour of the NE Corner and I shared some local history with them. We photographed some elk, saw hundreds of deer and had an absolute blast sharing stories, later in the evening we celebrated their successful hunt with a few glasses of wine. This was their third hunt with us and I always look forward to their next hunt.

[bearpaw]

We had another bird missed and another bird killed yesterday, then two more birds killed this morning. I will try to get photos from my hunters to post of these birds, they were cleaned before I had a chance to get photos.

Birds have been real quiet though, it's tough finding a gobble right now, we can't hardly buy a gobble. Birds seem to be a couple weeks advanced this year in everything, hens are nesting, so I do expect more gobbles soon. 

By some miracle we got a gobble tonight and have a good hunt planned for in the morning, my fingers are crossed for another successful day.

[turkeydancer]

Keep giving them dirt naps Dale !      Still leasing the Mrs B's estate (got many good memories from there) ?

[bearpaw]

We had another bird missed and another bird killed yesterday, then two more birds killed this morning. I will try to get photos from my hunters to post of these birds, they were cleaned before I had a chance to get photos.

Birds have been real quiet though, it's tough finding a gobble right now, we can't hardly buy a gobble. Birds seem to be a couple weeks advanced this year in everything, hens are nesting, so I do expect more gobbles soon. 

By some miracle we got a gobble tonight and have a good hunt planned for in the morning, my fingers are crossed for another successful day.

Slipped in before daylight as close as possible to the roost, unfortunately the birds were close to a neighboring property and when the birds came off the roost they flew right into the other property. 

As luck would have it we found a jake and Mike notched his 2nd tag so Mike and Les each went home with 2 birds. 

[Michelle_Nelson]

Come on Dale..... when are you going to start sharring Bear pic's! ! !

[bearpaw]

Started a new hunt this morning, we slipped in before daylight again this morning as close as I dare to the same roost, unfortunately we were close to the neighboring property again and when the birds came off the roost they flew right into the other property again.   LOL 

I will have to work on a different plan for those birds. 

So next we hiked after some other gobbles we had heard, we closed the distance and I began calling, twice the bird nearly came into view and then would go further away, we moved on him again and called him back again, this time he never came within 100 yards so I said let's go find different birds. We started back toward the truck and I stopped to call on a little knoll, next thing I know we called in two jakes to about 70-80 yards then they turned away, it might have been the same birds as we had been working. They finally moved out of sight and we had seen another tom across a big field so we started working around to cut the distance. Incredibly we see the two jakes again but they will not come close enough so we leave them again. Finally we are within 200-300 yards of where we had seen the other bird, but he is gone. I do some calling but he never answers so we head for the truck again.

About 100 yards from the truck we here a gobble from where we were just calling, I turned to Ward and said we might as well try to call again so we get settled and I throw some yelps out. Silence! After a bit I yelped again and whammo a GOBBLE, this time half as far away. I whisper "He's Coming, get ready!"

Ward was on it, gun leveled finger ready to take off the safety. Suddenly we see the birds at 65 yards, I think they are both jakes, they are coming by us but it quickly becomes apparent that they are not coming closer and begin to swing away. I whispered, if the first one is a jake when he goes through that opening let him go and take the second bird (jake or tom) 2 seconds later whammo, jake down.

At least Ward who is from Tennessee won't get skunked on this trip, he only has two days to hunt so we took a jake, we can spend tomorrow looking for a mature tom. We did get 2 gobbles tonight so my fingers are crossed for tomorrow.

Here's a pic of Ward with his jake.

[bearpaw]

Come on Dale..... when are you going to start sharring Bear pic's! ! !

I've never seen a bear in April over here so I don't have any bear hunters for at least two more weeks. I've been watching for bear tracks and scat, but nothing seen yet.

[bearpaw]

Didn't get another bird for Ward, we were close to several birds but couldn't close the deal, he only got the jake. 

Next day after my last post Anthony saw 2 bear, first time any of us have seen a bear in April in NE WA. I have heard of a few others seen as well.

[LittleJohn]

 

[bearpaw]

We are in position between two roosts, birds are talking to each other, just waiting for them to fly down and hopefully come within range, fingers are crossed.

[bearpaw]

BINGO....
Birds flew down and kept gobbling, we had a hen yelping on the ground behind us and that was driving the toms wild, it was a gobble fest back and forth between them and we were in the middle, the tom closest to our right worked around the ridge right above us and come running, literally running right down to 20 yards, one good shot and gobbler down. After about 10 minutes things settled down, the birds were talking again but not coming in and moving away, rather than disturb them more we decided to pick up and move to another property. The bird is about an 8" three year old with about 3/4" spurs, probably 19 pounds. Will try to post photo with phone, if not will post later.