region #1 report - Safari Club International Northwest Chapter

I have just returned, concluding a 13day
trip to
Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee in
pursuit of the wily Wild Turkey. On
this trip I was after the Rio Grande and
the Eastern turkeys. I have taken Merriams
previously. This turkey hunting
gig is a new sport for me, beginning
last year. I guess if you live long
enough you will get to try everything in
the realm of hunting.
I flew into Tulsa, and was met by my
friend, Stan Fowler. The initial effort
was for the Rio Grande Turkey just
across the border in the panhandle of
Texas. I was fortunate to take two
Toms in two days.
The first morning was beautiful and
very nostalgic with blue skies, green
grass, blue bonnets and some kind of
yellow blossomed plant covering the
ground… between the prolific pricklypear
cactus patches.
We got into position at 0715 the next
morning and began calling. At 0730 a
large Tom turkey appeared at about 65
yards and immediately went into fullstrut.
The guide changed the cadence and tone of the calls and the
bird RAN directly toward us still in full display. That is not normal, as
the Toms will usually relax their feathers when they begin to move. It
got in the middle of the 3 decoys we had placed at 25 to 30 yards from
our position. Initally, I could not fire the 12 gauge for concern that I
would destroy the decoys. The Tom was so close we could hear the
“drumming” as he performed his dance for us. This was truly a fantastic
experience.
Finally, the Tom cleared the set of 3 decoys and stuck his head out to
gobble. That lead to his demise at 0735. WOW, that was easy.
It was a beautiful bird weighing 24 pounds with a 9-inch beard and
one 1 1/4 inch spur. The other spur was broken off. :-(
That night a powerful storm front from the west moved through the
area with torrential rain and plenty of lightning and thunder that lasted
all night. One lighting bolt hit very close to our bunkhouse at about
3AM causing us to levitate about 6 inches above our bunks. We later
learned that there were some tornados that were generated further
north of our location. Made complete sense to me!
Next morning we tried again and eventually connected at 11:00 AM
with a similar-sized Tom that had TWO beards--one was 8.5 inches
by NW member Patricia Marcin
CHASING TURKEYS AND
DODGING TORNADOES
by Dale Hedgpeth
and the second was 5 inches. I am having
that one mounted in full strut. I was
delighted and very lucky.
We then drove due east for 6+ hours
following the storm front to the eastern
border of Oklahoma. All the while we
were listening to tornado reports a bit
north of us.
We tried for the Eastern Turkey for the
next 3 days. The wind, rain and much
cooler weather caused the birds to stop
their breeding activity and hence there
were no Toms gobbling at all. The
visit was great due to the wonderful
hospitality of Stan's family.
On the 16th of April, I flew to Nashville
to hunt with my Army friend of 30
- plus years. He is a true expert Turkey
hunter having killed 70 birds in his
hunting career. The weather and circumstances
did not allow us to hunt
near his home for the first 3 days as
intended. We then drove for 3 1/2
hours to the northwest corner of Tennessee
to hunt on Gene Robertson's (a
client/friend) 160 acres for Easterns.
But the birds were totally silent as a
result of the regional cold weather snap. The visit was great and was
highlighted by an evening meal of "Lim Rate' E Toufee". (A "limb rat"
is the local euphemism for squirrel.) The Squirrel Stew was served
with generous proportions of perfect Corn Bread. It was truly delicious!
This is an area I must return to hunt the Eastern Turkey, as it
was the perfect environment with a mix of hardwoods and gently rolling
hills with a high population of Easterns.
Just the weather was uncooperative.
I have been aware since my youth that "Mother Nature is always in
charge." Now I know that it especially applies to turkey hunting. The
reality is sometimes we have to re-learn what we already know!
I think I have learned enough about the proper calling techniques using
the slate call and the box call to try it alone. The mouth diaphrams
are yet to be mastered as I hit a sour note on every attempt so
far. There-in lies the challenge.
Next year I hope to get to the Yucatan Peninsula for the colorful Oscillated
Turkey and then perhaps go after the Osceola Turkey in Florida
someday. The Gould's Turkey in Sonora, Mexico will have to wait
for me.
That's all folks. This Turkey hunting is a kick!
Answers for GT’s Puzzler (pg. 18)
1. a BED of CLAMS
2. a RAFT of SEA OTTERS
3. a SLOTH or SLEUTH of BEARS
4. a STRING of RACEHORSES
5. a HERD of ELK
6. a PACK or TRAIN of COYOTES
14
7. a TROOP of BABOONS
8. a COLONY of BEAVERS
9. a BUSHEL of CLAMS
10. a WAKE of BUZZARDS
11. a COVY of PTARMIGAN
12. a COLONY of ANTS