Grand Slam, Washington Slam, and More (7 birds)... a Season Not to Forget

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Recap of my 2019 spring season hunting turkey with pictures posted below. Was waiting to share until my season came to an end which happened yesterday with a bird in BC. My wife and I are pregnant with Twins due on the 17th of May. Negotiated a baby-moon trip to Florida and hunting the NW until the beginning of May.

Season Recap:
March 13th fly to Florida for 16th opener. Coworker was drawn for a quota hunt on Saturday/Sunday and I was going to be his guest hunter. It was a big unit so there was lots of ground to cover. Found a bike and road around all day Thursday checking spots that had been pointed out to me by locals through other conversations. Thursday morning I walked in and had a gobbler fly out of the roost and walk within 8 yds of me. Beating his head off the whole time. Contently walked off and I went the other way looking to expand my hunt able area as much as I could. Covered some 20+ miles on foot. The day before an opener they let you drive in at 8am. I wanted to hear birds off the roost so buddy and I biked in again but didnt hear that Tom Friday morning. Did a new loop where he went one way and I went another. Then headed back to the car and grabbed lunch. Came back and drove in that night to scout the area. Roosted my Thursday bird but so had two other hunting parties. Public hunting in Florida at its finest. We made an agreement to basically surround the bird and he would choose who would drop him. No one did as he got the slip on all of us... Hunted the rest of the day with my buddy (until 1pm is the rule on WMA's), lunch, and came back for a night roosting session. Buddy thought he heard a bird in a Cypress head so that is where we set up the following morning. Nothing. The weather moved in and it got cold and rainy. I spent all of Monday and Tuesday (in the rain) checking out areas, setting up in various places when the weather broke, listing in others but the birds are finicky when the rain comes in. Fortunately, another WMA was opening on Wed/Thur and a new friend said he would hunt it with me. The weather was finally turning around too. Tuesday night I went to area one to listen/roost birds and heard nothing, so we went to his second spot the following morning. Having biked way back didn't expect it but we got a head light were we wanted to sit. Again public hunting in Florida, but fortunately this pushed us north and within 200 yds of a booming bird. Played the cat and mouse call game with this Tom for the first hour of the morning, and then us and the bird went silent. 30min later two hens popped out walking less than 10 yds away. Behind them at 60 yds were a Tom and two jakes. When the Tom broke the 40 yd threshold he was put to rest. Though for the first time since pre-season the birds were on fire. We worked birds all the way until 1pm. Actually walked away from a bird we couldn't get to commit. 48/75 First Come first serve quotas were taken that day and this was the only bird shot. 18#, 8-3/4" beard, 1-3/8" hooks, this thing was a giant public Osceola. I was tickled. My flight didn't leave until Sunday so I hunted a little more but definitely relaxed a little and even went fishing for a day on the salt.

April 12 - 21st:
Friday I took my wife to the Tulip festival. Was the least I could do as I was going to be gone the next week chasing turkey and we are pregnant with Twins coming on May 17th. I got out to some cameras I had set up for Easterns Friday evening. Even got one gobbling off the roost. Went out all Saturday checking cameras and scouting some more but the weather turned nasty Saturday evening and wasn't suppose to let up. I had plans to take my buddy out for his first bird opening day in the NE so I made the call Saturday night to head that way... wanted to scout new area for my Rio. With little sleep Sunday morning I drove around country I've never hunted before. Found two toms and two separate public parcels and sign of a third on a third parcel. Had a good idea where people would probably be hunting or not so headed north to scout the property we were hunting Merriams. Arrived there a little after noon and got to work. Yes this was a family friends parcel but it remarkably was surrounded by public land and a majority of the birds were on said public land. They were everywhere and I admittedly was a bit over whelmed. I'd never hunted it but we had good plan going into the opening morning. Got out at a decent hour, snuck into our blind, and birds were talking all over the canyon. It wasn't until about shooting light we realized we were sitting 80 yds from a roost with a gobbler in it. This was going to be epic. The first hen pitches down but instantly starts walking towards the creek. I look up and the property owners horses were coming over and wanted to check out my decoys. The birds didn't like this and the rest pitched straight down on the other side. Got the horses to leave, the hen came back up and started making some calls for me. The other birds wouldn't break and she flew to join them. Scouting and reports had told me that they would often go to either side but always ended up on our side by 8am. Waited it out but no birds. Hunted the some other areas through out the day, and after a quick hail storm found ourselves set up smack between several gobblers. We had 2 at about 150 yds to our left, 1 at 300 yds to right, 1 at 200 yds behind us, and another at 500yds behind that bird. Nobody wanted to play ball. Evening went back to our morning spot as those birds usually made a pass in the evening but no luck either. I broke away from my buddy and went to roost birds. Told him to stay put and hunt. I came across a Tom some 500yds away, watched him fly up, and had his tree pinned. Tomorrow was going to be a new day. Now buddy isn't the kind to get up super early and it was cold so we got in at probably the last possible moment, and soon as we set up in the little light we had, I realized I was about 40yds shy south of my mark. Things look the same in the dark. Watched the hen and tom pitch right to where I really wanted to be but couldn't move with the light coming up. Hen takes Tom north and away. Played some cat and mouse but no luck. Buddy leaves at 10am empty handed and after the season I ended up having I feel bad, but I tell this story because it was part of the biggest learning moments for this season.

I contact two other friends in the area I usually hunt my Merriams that have a big public swath between them and both say there are birds. One had friends over that had shot 5 birds already. I make the 1.5hr trip over there...thinking I should give the current area a break. Go to an area I know seams to always have birds for whatever reason. I pull over to see 6 hens and a jake. Watched them meander along and eventually disappear. Tired at this point I figure I'll put my gear on, sneak in there and take a nap. Get all ready to go, turn back to the area and there is a big Tom strutting his heart out and another bird is up the hill gobbling getting him fired up. Never done it myself but thought heck, maybe I can reap this bird. Grab my strutter deke, sneak behind it into his clearing. Bird 300 yds away locks dead on my decoy. Runs 50yds, stops, struts, I crawl 5 yds, he runs 50yds, stops, struts, I crawl 5 yds, repeat until he is within 10yds. Through my strutter over, lift my gun and bird down.

Pack up shop and head back to other property to show them the bird, clean it, and head for my Rio. One property stood out from the rest for likely not getting pressure so I head there. Thinking the birds were going to be on one side of the draw, I hiked the other. Found a nice high spot and found the birds 800yds across the draw. Sat for the next 2 hrs watching them. 4 toms (2 dominant) and 2 hens. They get to this nice bench and strut and fight before walking off the back right before dusk. I didn't see them come out, didn't see a fly up, but figured that was the roost. Packed out and got some sleep. I head in the next morning at 4:00am, there's a full moon but clouds so I can half see what I'm doing. Get to about 200yds from the roost area and put my decoys together, walk over to the area I want to set up, find a good set of trees and march out 20 yds on the crest to set my decoys. As I stab the hen decoy, I notice three turkey silhouettes 30yds from me in a tree. "Oh @#!+" Kept my cool stabbed my decoys and backed out quietly. But those trees were going to be too load and too close to sit in. Fortunately, I spot a rock up the hill I can duck behind. I sneak up there real quite. The Toms start firing off about 80yds away and the hen's yelp from that tree maybe 60 yds away. 5:20 the first hen flies down... 5:25 the Two dominant Toms are in my decoys, and I'm praying don't leave, don't leave. Fortunately not everyone wanted to fly down yet and my strutter had their attention. They strutted and strutted and strutted. 5:35am I put the biggest one to bed. He was a dandy limb hanger.

Pack up and I'm off for my Eastern. Now its my Mom's birthday and I had a good idea where I could hunt just needed to decide where. Went to dinner with my Mom and Wife and before I went to bed made a decision. Now the area I planned to hunt I have had the birds roost in a variety of areas. Came in pretty early in the morning and had a feeling about a tree line. Knew were I wanted to set up but if the birds were there and they weren't deep in the timber it could mess it up, so stopped 300yds short. The birds were right were I wanted to get and they were deep in the timber. Too late, I'll work them from here. On camera I had a Tom, Jake, and 5 hens. They pitch down and the Tom, Jake and three hens come over the knob 200yds away. My decoy was facing 90 degrees the wrong way. Hens pull the Tom and they head away. Waited a bit, grabbed the strutter and headed up around the knob. Got back in the tree line where they were roosted and put out a couple yelps. Gobble 100yds away over down the hill. Ease my way out of the tree line with the strutter in front of me. Tom makes contact at 80yds and starts his pursuit. Get the decoy up on a stump, pick up my gun and dropped at 15 yds. Washington slam complete.

Now I love my wife but I was having too much fun and wanted to hunt Oregon. Friend tells me a friend is hunting. Contacted friend's-friend and that evening ran over to NE Oregon. New friend was suppose to stay and hunt but left, though he told me where I could find birds. Friday morning get into a decent spot. Hit the box call this time and get some gobbles. This is too easy I'm thinking. Sit down, set some decoys out, call, gobble. I cant believe this. Cat and mouse for an hour but no dice...it wasn't going to be that easy. Scouted around looking for birds, checked out this spot and that spot. Took a nice nap, watched some guys chase some toms from the road. I'm definitely in some birds. I was also about to be in some weather. Thunder storms charges up... go out for a roosting session, thunder = great for roosting. Hear nothing. Woods went silent. Forecast the next morning was 1/4"-1/2" of rain. Had my eye on SW Oregon, knew some people down there. Stuck it out for the morning and first light with no talking and inevitably a down poor. Weather looked better in the SW might as well do some scouting so I can do better in Oregon next time. Put out a couple hail mary's to my wedding photographer's husband, and three coworkers. Get a lead on two public grounds and off I went. Got down there about noon. Checked out the first spot, not what I was thinking, weather is passing, head for the second spot. Second person gets back to me says their Dad has 5 acres that can have birds but gets me in touch with their sister. Sister knows rancher with 260 acres and birds. We meet up, she tells me my second public spot is a really good spot but I'm staring at birds everywhere I look by her dads and the rancher. We go up and meet the rancher and he says I can hunt. Find some hens and toms but they don't want to play and are next door. He tells me to go watch a pond were a bachelor group usually roost. We go watch said pond and spot a Tom, Jake, and two hens on the hill above it. This is open country so no real move so we sit and watch. They go back and forth and eventually head to a cluster of trees I can see on my OnX app. We wait for the sun to set and walk around. Get to about 200yds and crow call to instant gobble in said trees. Next morning wake up, head in, couldn't judge dawn for the life of me, said sunrise was around 7am on google but as we walked in at 5:30am I felt like I could see the world. We get down the fence line and have a nice place to sit. I run my decoys out 20 yds and now can hear the hens within 50yds, and the Tom at about 80 yds but my set is right between them. An hour passes and the hens fly down over a knob I can see them. Couple soft yelps and a gobble their direction, but I didnt see the Tom so it must be the Jake. Wait, yelp again, gobble. Then 8 yds to my left the Tom walks past my bush on a rope to my strutter, had been silent all morning working down behind me. 10yds I put him down. Thick beard with rot no doubt but the biggest spurs I've seen. 1-1/2" and 1-9/16". Its Easter, I head home to see my wife and go back to work for the week.

April 27 & 28
This last weekend I had plans to see my 6mo old pup at school in Ellensburg and after go knock a bird in ID and another in BC if possible. Was almost told NO with the coming babies and success this season but fortunately a friend came over to keep my wife occupied. Met at the kennel Saturday morning from 11-noon, but my pup had giardia and was not in the mood to play/hunt. Thought I'd be back Tuesday and we could do the check in then. Headed to ID and crossed around 3pm. Buddy and I eScouted an area and he hunted it late opening week with another friend pulling 4 birds in 3 days. Headed to the first spot and saw a little sign but no one was talking. It had been showering and hailing. Spot two where he had seen a big Tom come out of but not hunted had loads of sign but nothing real fresh. Could see their dusting area and figured would be a good area to come walk in later and try to strike a gobble off the roost. Spot three nothing. Figured I'd head back for service but scout my way out some different areas I thought would be good. Come around the corner and there are two Jakes in the road and a third bird flies across the road. I back way up. Grab my gear and make a plan to get around them. Make it to a nice area on a power line when I see they've booked it to a field on private land. Dropped my vest and prepped my strutter. Inched my way to the edge of the power line clearing maybe 250yds from the three Jakes. Let out a couple yelps on the diaphragm call. They look at my decoy (me) but a gobbler lights up 400yds down the power line at my 9, the jakes are at my 11, and another gobbler fires off 300 yds at my 2. Inch out a little further because there is a stump I can set the decoy on to lift my gun. Yelp some more and the two gobbles are firing off but the jakes just keeping eating in their field, BUT they have started to work towards me. 15- 20 min go by and now the Jakes have run out of field to eat, and the other two Toms have moved very little. Then one of the Jakes makes a break for me half puffed up and the other two follow. They duck under the fence no problem back on to public land get to about 15 yds and I pop up. Choosing the biggest looking one I put it to bed. This is my first Jake and he had a double beard. I wanted a Jake to put a Jake fan on my strutter but also didn't know how BC was going to go so I was happy. If you haven't put the pieces together this could be the beginning of a super slam chase too.

Cut my tag and I'm off to BC. Now I called a friend in Ione just to say "Hi" and ended up taking a snooze there. Woke up a little late and went to drive over to the Frontier crossing as its the only one open 24 hrs. Smack out was snowed in, the reflective part of my mirror fell off, I'm thinking after hitting a tree branch. Spend two hours retracing my steps to when I think I lost it and where I noticed it gone. Was loosing time and left it. Now crossing the border later than hoped I get the full search and questions but am through at about 8am, came prepared with permits and needs to hunt BC. Knew a couple people that had been hunting up there so knew where I wanted to go. Get to my first spot, literally first spot at 9am. Park the truck and get out. Let out some yelps on the diaphragm and boom bird fires off 500 yds + up the way. We'll say at my 3. Now I didn't have my camo top on, gun unlocked, decoys ready nothing. Get the ammo out of the lock box in the tailgate, gun unlocked and loaded, vest put together, just hoping that this bird wasn't hot and going to pop up with my willy in my hand. Scamper across the road into some trees and yelp some more. 200yds at 11 oclock, bird gobbles back. OK, OK, wait a few minutes, yelp, 250 yds 10 o clock. Go-can move now, move into the clearing 80 yds and stab my strutter and hen. Yelp, 150 yds 9 o clock... original bird 300 yds 2 oclock. I'm pinned. Literally back up 5 yds from my decoys and hide against a pitiful 4 foot by 1 foot stump/burned tree. Bird on my left head pops up through the trees at 100yds and he's making an arc. Couple yelps, gobble, cool, he seeing my setup. Casually works all the way back to 1 o clock and 60 yds away. My gun is on the ground. Its open...he goes into a strut and walks right towards me. Gobble from him, gobble from second bird 150 yds behind him. This is too cool. He struts all the way up to my hen and dances 5 yds away from me. I know he can see me, I'm almost in the open, but I am a statue. 5 min maybe longer just in front of me (crossed my mind to try to jump on him, jk) every time he spit drums I can see his whole body shake, head changing colors, absolutely incredible. He backs from the hen and goes to strut on my stutter. Steps behind strutter, I lift my gun, bang, bird down, second bird gobbles behind some trees less than 100 yds away. I'm elated. Thought about turning towards Montana, but knew my wife was eager to see me and I had a great season already!

In April, I hunted 9 days (11 if you count the 13th/14th scouting/travel). Covered over 4000 miles and harvested 6 birds in 3 states and BC. I am blessed to have the season I had. Sad its over but really, really excited for these twin girls to come and soon enough take them for their first bird.

[Fl0und3rz]

Wow! Well done.

Hopefully these help.

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,236769.0.html

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,197.0.html

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,28740.0.html

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

FL-Osceola 3.20.19 (18#, 8-3/4" beard, 1-3/8"x2)

WA-Merriam 4.16.19 (21#, 8.5", 1" spurs x2)

WA-Rio 4.17.19

WA-Eastern 4.18.19

OR-Rio 4.21.19 (21lb 3oz, 8-3/4" beard, 1-1/2" & 1-9/16")

ID-Merriam 4.27.19

BC-Merriam 4.28.19



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Machias]

Great job!  Heck of a spring!  Thanks for sharing!!

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Thanks! TapaTalk does work really well.

Wow! Well done.

Hopefully these help.

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,236769.0.html

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,197.0.html

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,28740.0.html