Bearpaw Season - Spring 2021

[jrebel]

Those last two birds are gorgeous!!  Beautiful fans.

[bearpaw]

Those last two birds are gorgeous!!  Beautiful fans.

Yes, they were really nice ones! 👍🏻

[bearpaw]

This morning Bubba notched his first tag on a bird from one of our blinds while I had Chase after the mountaintop gobbler. This afternoon Bubba and I got onto another tom, we saw him at 80 yards but the tom went out around us, a hen came by at 5 yards, quite a bit of time passed and then suddenly this tom showed up on our left at 25 yards, I nudged Bubbas knee and pointed one finger toward the tom, I made a quick noise, the tom raised his head and Bubba put the hammer down! Another fun hunt!

[Machias]

Nice!!!

[WapitiTalk1]

 

[bearpaw]

Father and son craig and Alex finished their hunt with these two birds first thing in the morning, great job guys, way to get it done!

[bearpaw]

Thomas from South Carolina had a super exciting hunt this morning, the gobbler answered from a incredible distance and started coming their way, they seen him coming from way out, the closer he got the more he gobbled and the faster he came, the last little distance the tom was running straight at Thomas who pulled up and pasted the tom at about 15 yards! Way to get it done Thomas!

[bearpaw]

Chase sacked up his second bird this morning, there were some hens and Jakes in the way but they finally moved enough, I said take him and Chase dropped this tom!

[bearpaw]

John from Texas with his first Washington State Merriam’s taken the Forst morning of his hunt right after they came off the roost, nice going John!

(I was informed later in the day that this was John's first bird ever, how sweet is that?)

[jstone]

How is the bird population looking this year?

[bearpaw]

How is the bird population looking this year?

Incredible, the best in many years!

[bearpaw]

Bryan from Texas with his 2nd bird , both birds taken the first day of his hunt. Great shooting Bryan!

[bearpaw]

Tom from South Carolina with his 2nd Washington bird, he also finished his 1 year grand slam on this hunt, well done my friend!

[bearpaw]

Clay “a turkey call maker” from Lousiana was the second hunter in camp to fill his grand slam today, awesome job Clay!

[bearpaw]

Tripp from South Carolina finished off our highly successful Saturday of turkey hunting with his first turkey ever! We went out for an evening hunt and I made two series of extra loud yelps and we listened, there was a gobble about 500-600 yards up on a big southern exposure hillside. I waited for about 10-15 minutes and the bird gobbled again but a little closer so I gave him two more series of loud yelps and waited. Tripp spotted him coming about 450 yards out, at about 400 yards he gobbled again, I didn’t answer, I waited till he got to about 350 yards and gobbled again, I gave him the most sensual pleading yelps I could muster and then shut up. We watched him pick his way straight toward us, my heart was pounding, I was sure Trip’s heart was pounding, I wanted to call again but resisted the temptation, the bird continued to pick his way toward us, straight toward us. He stopped and looked numerous times but then he would start coming toward us again, by now he is nearly within range, I can’t see a beard, he’s big, has a big white noggin, looks like a big tom, but I can’t see a dang beard at all! My heart is racing, Tripp’s heart is racing, the bird is coming closer, I knew Tripp did not want a jake for his first bird but I was 98% this was a big tom with no beard, so at 30ish yards I gave him my finger signal to take him, Trip pulled up and smoked him, knocked him a floppin! I whispered to be quiet in case another bird was coming in silent, we’ll wait a few minutes quietly. Then I whispered that I had not seen a beard but I was 98% certain it was a mature bird with no beard, I could see the worry come across his face, I reassured him I wouldn’t have let him shoot unless I thought it was a mature bird, not sure how convincing I really was? Pretty quick I called it and we went to pick up the bird, as we approached I saw Spurs, what a relief that was! LOL

We took a few pics where he lay and then I picked him up and we headdd back to the truck, we got more photos along the way and exchanged comments about how exciting it was for both of us! Nice shot Trip, I love it when a plan comes together.

I am still amazed at how close these birds can pinpoint your position from a long distance, the bird walked straight to us and the last time I called was at about 350 yards!