Bird, bone, & bear (pic heavy)

[Tree Killer]

Was camped out in eastern Oregon hunting turkeys and bears with my brother Roger. Had a little bit of everything, went from 32* and snow on the 10th to 82* and humid on the 15th!









We found bear sign EVERYWHERE we hunted, saw 5 bears, and I got a shot at a bear I should have killed easily, but I hurried my shot and aimed low. Snipped some long hair off the brisket and spent 4 hours crawling through reprod and a hundreds of gray logs searching for blood or any sign of a hit. Not a trace!











Wasn't really looking, but found three elk sheds and a buck shed. 







Wildflowers were in their prime, just a great time of year to be in the woods!









Wildlife was out in force!









 Monday the 12th we went out mid morning for a hunt, Roger took his rifle for bear and I took the 12 ga. for turkey. We split up at 10am and at 10:30 I heard a bird gobble on it's own down a little timbered draw below the old road I was hiking on. I set up just above the road with a windfall tree behind me. The bird gobbled occasionally and I would call sporadically, I wasn't sure if he was alone or with hens. After 10 minutes I caught movement of something to my left climbing up to the road. It turned out to be a cow elk and she ended broadside and 15 yds to my left. I was pinned down and couldn't call to the turkey, who gobbled now and then. I thought for sure the cow would smell and crash back down the hill or start doing an alarm bark...either of which would likely end my turkey hunt.

For 15 minutes the cow stood there and was watching something up the hill. I could hear a noise, but was too consumed with the cow elk and watching for any sign of the turkey to pay attention to what I was hearing behind me. All of a sudden something was running right up behind me...thinking it was a lion I whipped around to see a mule deer doe several yards behind me. She spooked and raced across the hill in front of the cow elk who was confused about what was happening. The cow finally looked at me and trotted off 30 yards to look back.

I took the opportunity to grab my slate call and toss some yelps to the tom turkey...he immediately responded and was getting closer. After several moments I could hear the tom spittin & drumming, so I knew he was getting close! I spotted his red head for a split second, then he disappeared behind a big fir tree that was on the high side of the road. The tom continued to strut and all I could hear was his drumming noise for 4 or 5 minutes.

I aimed my shotgun at the big tree, not knowing which side he would emerge from. Eventually his head and neck slowly came out from behind the left side of the big fir and game over!

One of the biggest and perhaps oldest turkeys I've killed. Bet he weighed 23-24 lbs, which is huge for a true mountain bird (5000 ft elevation). 10" thick beard, but his spurs are worn off and broken.

One of the greatest turkey hunts I've ever been on!

[Turner89]

looks like a great time thanks for the pictures.

[bowhunterforever]

Looks like a great hunt

[fly4fish]

Awesome times. Thanks for the pics. Will read when have more time. Interested in the pronghorn?

[Wea300mag]

Looks like a fun adventure, nice pics.

[packmule]

Great photos and story as usual!  Love those spurs.....congratulations on a great hunt!

[Wacenturion]

Thanks for sharing..........great pictures.

[scottcrb]

awesome pics looks like amazing country, great story congrats

[WaltAlpine]

Dream Trip!

[blackveltbowhunter]

Perfect spring trip. Awesome pics!

[turkeydancer]

Thanks for sharing both the great story and pics ... congrats !!!