Turkey Opener???

[Sharp Stick]

How did those with tags make out for the Alberta Turkey Opener?

[Dr Death]

Seems there's more bears than turkeys around!

[sheephunter]

Seems there's more bears than turkeys around!

No kidding! Called one in to 30 yards yesterday...lol

Vanessa cranked a big mature Tom this morning. He put on an awsome show for us......pretty cool. Birds sure were quiet though. Guessing the heavy snow in in the Porcupines isn't going to help either.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/554332_10151512188655400_667430399_12340762_195104 4134_n.jpg

[westren]

congrats vanessa.....beard........"

[sheephunter]

Finally got him dried out after his little dip in the creek......

(Disclaimer for internet police....tag is in his wing and we hid it underneath for the photo :))

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523051_10151512342135400_667430399_12341130_143708 8018_n.jpg

[sheephunter]

congrats vanessa.....beard........"

Quick measure was 8 1/2"

[Skinnydipper]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523051_10151512342135400_667430399_12341130_143708 8018_n.jpg

Surprized its not a bit greener down there. Must be extra dry. Beauty bird V!!

[sheephunter]

Surprized its not a bit greener down there. Must be extra dry. Beauty bird V!!

It was in the open area but it was quickly becoming white!

[hal53]

Quick measure was 8 1/2"
great bird!!!!!....and a great guide!!...lol!!! you're spoiling her TJ.....hahaha you're making her think this stuff is easy......

[snortwheez]

GREAT looking bird, CONGRATS!

[Wrongside]

Seems there's more bears than turkeys around!

Haha! Seems it depends on the tag a guy's trying to fill. I've been seeing lots of turkeys and no bears. :)

[sheephunter]

great bird!!!!!....and a great guide!!...lol!!! you're spoiling her TJ.....hahaha you're making her think this stuff is easy......

LOL...I was just the cameraman on this one but she did have an awesome mentor for this hunt......I'd say Alberta's best when it comes to turkeys!

[shedcrazy]

We got snowed out. Didn't see any birds on the opener and was surprised at the lack of sign where we have had good luck in the past. The weather made us retreat this morning...we woke up to about 4" of snow that turned into close to 8" after the first calling set. Decided we wanted to get the trailer out before it got worse. Hopefully I will have a chance to get back down.
Good luck to all the guys that stayed in the snow!
S

[Fish Feathers Game]

LOL...I was just the cameraman on this one but she did have an awesome mentor for this hunt......I'd say Alberta's best when it comes to turkeys!

Thanks for the very kind words TJ! It was fun and I was glad to be along! The bird does look better now that it has dried out more. I really like the white tips on the rump feathers. Congrats again Vanessa!

[flyguyd]

Thanks for the very kind words TJ! It was fun and I was glad to be along! The bird does look better now that it has dried out more. I really like the white tips on the rump feathers. Congrats again Vanessa!

There aint nothin that compares to an Alberta Merriams for sheer beauty

Congrats on the Tom

[wctbowtech]

Afternoon of the opener my buddy Norm got a good Tom.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Give Norm a high five for me! Nice bird....almost looks bigger than the one he has full mounted :)

LC

[wctbowtech]

Give Norm a high five for me! Nice bird....almost looks bigger than the one he has full mounted :)

LC

Yea, we figure it weighted just over 20 pounds roughly. The beard was around 9" but the spurrs we're only maybe 1/2" long.

[westren]

Congrats again Vanessa...Beautiful bird ..Beautiful picture....

[wctbowtech]

Well, the last couple of days turned the hunt around for the rest of our group of 4. Norm called in a great Tom for me which I shot at 25 yards with his gun. Then in the afternoon I teamed upo with John and he shot a Jake at 8 yards. Norm teamed up with Curtis to try and get a Tom we've been whatching for the past 3 days. He gave them the slip yesterday, but this morning at 7 am Curtis shot the Tom at 12 yards. This made our group go 4 for 4. It was an awesome time with great friends. Thanks to our Turkey expert Norm we all were able to cash in on birds. We also go alot of help from a number people.

[sheephunter]

Way to go guys! It was nice to chat with you for a bit and I'm really happy that you guys managed to put it all together! You were definitely working hard at it.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Well, the last couple of days turned the hunt around for the rest of our group of 4. Norm called in a great Tom for me which I shot at 25 yards with his gun. Then in the afternoon I teamed upo with John and he shot a Jake at 8 yards. Norm teamed up with Curtis to try and get a Tom we've been whatching for the past 3 days. He gave them the slip yesterday, but this morning at 7 am Curtis shot the Tom at 12 yards. This made our group go 4 for 4. It was an awesome time with great friends. Thanks to our Turkey expert Norm we all were able to cash in on birds. We also go alot of help from a number people.

Grats man! Glad to hear you got some more, and you didn't have to dodge lead pellets this time I hope! :) ....that Norm is a cagey little bugger with a hamperin to hunt :)

LC

[Esox]

Love the pictures, heading down this weekend to try for my turkey, hopefully begginers luck kicks in haha. Does anyone have an easy way to clean a bird after you get one?

[wctbowtech]

Love the pictures, heading down this weekend to try for my turkey, hopefully begginers luck kicks in haha. Does anyone have an easy way to clean a bird after you get one?

Heard that the Hutterite Colony will clean a bird for $10. Not sure which one though. We ended up just clean our own birds and it wasn't that bad.

[JTRED]

Some great looking birds down. Nice pics too. I'm lucky I guess here in the Kootenays I get two general open seasons every year, 1 month in the spring and a 2 week season in the fall. Spring season is bearded only shotgun, archery, or rimfire while the fall season is any bird but shotgun or archery only. The spring season is a perhaps a bit easier because the toms are so much more susceptible to calling but the fall is also a blast with slightly different techniques which I'm learning slowly it would seem. Here's a pic of my tom this year.http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=51488&stc=1&d=1336227152

[normanrd]

Yah, that was a great hunting trip, with fantastic company! Thanks Curtis, John and Len for such a fun time and the great memories we all made together. I will never forget those experiences! good stuff!:) Next year in Montana and Wyoming and maybe Idaho if we have time, right Kris and Len? I promise action packed adventure! lol

[Lefty-Canuck]

Yah, that was a great hunting trip, with fantastic company! Thanks Curtis, John and Len for such a fun time and the great memories we all made together. I will never forget those experiences! good stuff!:) Next year in Montana and Wyoming and maybe Idaho if we have time, right Kris and Len? I promise action packed adventure! lol

Tell me what weeks to book off and I am there!

LC :)

[BearClaw]

Well I had been Turkey hunting before but we weren't hunting on my tag, so this time I was even more excited when I got drawn this year for the first time. I started early getting my permisson and as May grew closer I found myself practicing more and more on my turkey calling. I took the opening week off and spent the first two days fighting the wind, you couldn't here any birds calling so I headed home to get another 4 hours sleep before heading out again. At this point the only turkey I had seen was the one TJ and Vanessa were taking pictures of on the ground, Hahaha (good job guys it was nice chatting with you out there). Thursday brought better weather and finally Turkeys! Live ones! Two different Toms and a few hens got my blood pumping but although I came close I just couldn't close the deal. Finally Friday, I was a little tired but heading to a new spot so that boosted my spirts, and when I sent out a locate call in the early morning darkness my friend and I were pleasently surprised when a Gobbler answered immediately in the distance. Here we go! we got in and set up, the decoy looked good and we were set up in a natural funnel coming down off the hill. It almost seemed too perfect and that Tom was answering back almost everytime getting closer and closer. As he came into view I thought I was watching wild TV, he was struting all the way into the decoy and at 25 yards I let him have it. I definately won't wait 6 years to hunt these birds again, hooked for life!
He weighed a big 24lbs, his beard is 8 5/8" and his spurs are both 1 3/16".

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/rmrbearclaw/IMG_1740.jpg


http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/rmrbearclaw/IMG_1754.jpg


http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k633/rmrbearclaw/IMG_1747.jpg

[sheephunter]

Way to go...awesome job!

[Barbwire]

Beauty bird Ryan!!!! Wish I could have been there:) You just need to get the wife a tom now!

[flatshooter]

I just wanted to share my success on an Alberta Tom this spring. We had a great hunt and the icing on the cake was calling in this bird off 6 hens into 14 yds. The pic is of my hunting partner.

The custom David Mills box call helped.