| |
| |
| |
OUTFITTER REVIEW FOR:
Two Rivers Outfitters | |
| |
| |
A Turkey Hunt To Remember!
By Dan Wennerlind
I think one of the things that makes spring turkey hunting so exciting each year is the fact that you are only allowed 1 bird per season, for the most part. It adds a little more importance to the hunt and it also makes the hunt all that much more rewarding when you are successful. To make this year’s hunt even better, I was going to have the opportunity to share it with turkey hunting expert Jon Harlander of Two Rivers Outfitters. Jon has been hunting and guiding for Eastern gobblers ever since the great state of Wisconsin opened up the state to turkey hunting over 10 years ago. During that time Jon has spent many, many days in the field doing his own style of field research on the birds, learning their habits and patterns. This has enabled Jon to be very successful- with a 100% opportunity for every hunter who has joined him in the past 4 years. Growing up in Polk County Wisconsin, Jon has also had the opportunity to get to know many land owners in the area and has successfully acquired numerous turkey hunting “Hot Spots” so his hunters have several options when they arrive.
To make this hunt even more exciting, we would also be accompanied by professional videotagrapher Shawn Riley of Riley Outdoors. Jon had a pre-scouted spot all picked out for us in this the third season of the 2007 spring turkey season. We made arrangements to meet at 3:30 am and head out to the field. Well let me say that sleep was hard to come by that night. Even though I have had the good fortune of taking a tom in each of the past 4 seasons, the once a year spring hunt always ads to the for a suspensfullness of the hunt.
| |
| |
We arrived at destination at 4:00 am right on time and the birds were already gobbling in every direction. We quickly made our way down the path to the area of the open field that Jon had watched 4 big toms strut around in each morning before, for the past 3 days. For many hunters who have not been involved in attempting to film a hunt, it adds a whole new component to the hunt. First of all it really cuts back on mobility and second concealment becomes a major factor that if not already very important needs to be stepped up another notch. Luckily for us Jon had taken care of that aspect as well. Many hunters who film elect to use a ground blind but Jon had picked out a spot for us on the edge of an evergreen farm with ample opportunity to hide a camera man and two hunters amongst the thick evergreen cover on the field edge.
| |
| It took us a good 10 minutes to get everybody situated. We then had a discussion as to who would shoot first since Jon had also saved his tag for this particular hunt. We decided that if the opportunity arose we would try to take 2 birds at once on film. Otherwise, being the professional guide that he is, Jon gave me first shot at any single bird that came in. | |
| |
As we got set, we could hear turkeys gobbling in the trees in every direction. At one point I think we counted close to 20 birds announcing to the world that morning had arrived. My heart was beating faster and faster as the sun came up over the horizon. Then one by one you could hear the birds flying down from their roosts. I knew with the preparation that Jon had put into the pre-hunt, it was only a matter of time before we would have a tom strutting out in front.
Prior to the hunt Jon explained why he normally does not like to use decoys to draw in the big Eastern toms of western Wisconsin. Jon says that he would rather rely on his calling to get the birds excited and “hunt” for the hen, rather that take a chance on a bird holding up at 60 – 100 yards out due to the decoy. But today since were focused on filming the hunt we elected to use 2 buckwing turkey decoys (one hen and one jake) in an attempt to get the birds into an exact location for the camera.
As every successful turkey hunter has experienced, patience is definitely a virtue when hunting the elusive turkey and this morning would be no different. As we awaited a response from an “active’ gobbler, we could only sit back and wait as we tried to conclude in our minds what all of these toms were doing as we listened to them gobble and move from place to place around us… below the ridge down in front of us, in the big woods behind us, across the road in the apple orchard to the east of us… basically in every direction but immediately in front of us. Now 7:30 in the morning does not seem very late into a hunt but when you arrive at your hunting spot at 4:00 am, three and a half hours of listening to birds gobble can seem like an eternity. Just as Jon and I were opting for a new tactic of moving positions in an attempt to cut off a group of what we figured were 4 toms and 2 hens moving from one end of the bottom of the ridge in front of us to the other it happened- We had a Hot Bird! Both Jon and I looked at each other and we knew this guy was on the run. He was coming from about 300 yards out in front of us and we expected to see him come right through a clearing path that ended at my gun barrel. And wouldn’t you know it, just like you would draw it up two minutes later out popped a nice tom. He was definitely interested as he worked his way towards Jon’s expert calling. As he got closer and closer all I could do was wait and hope that he would not pick us out. Even though we had taken every precaution in camouflaging ourselves, you never know for sure. But he kept coming as Jon offered light clucks and purrs from time to time drawing the big bird closer and closer.
Then at about 65 yards the big bird stopped, lifted his head up and started right at us. This was it, the big test. Would he fall for our set-up or what he figure it out and hop back into the trees and disappear. Nobody moved a muscle, it seemed like an eternity. Then he finally dropped his head back down and kept on his original path. In my mind I tried to figure out the perfect spot to take the shot and just as I got ready to pull the trigger I heard Jon say “this is it, take em when your ready!” The bird stopped and as I stared at the long beard hanging down to the ground it was all I could do to contain my excitement. I clicked the safety off on my 835 Mossberg 3 ½ inch 12 gauge and BOOM… The big bird went down like a ton of bricks. What a show!
| |
| I couldn’t thank Jon enough for putting me in a position to harvest such a beautiful creature and making my 2007 turkey season one to remember. And to top it off we were able to get the whole thing on film. As we approached the big bird we could tell he was a mature tom with his bright red head and 10 inch beard. Jon analyzed the bird as a 2 year old tom and it officially weighed in at 18 pounds 3 ounces. Not the biggest tom in the woods that day but a definite keeper! |
| |
As we made our way back to the truck we caught a glimpse of the tribe of 4 toms and 2 hens, the crew we were originally trying to pull over our way, slinking through the far end of the field. They were not as spooked as you would expect from the gun blast but also were not wanting anything to do with our direction that was for sure.
Now it was Jon’s turn as we still had one tag left to fill. As we were loading up the truck to move to destination 2, we heard another hot tom across the road in the apple orchard still gobbling away. We elected to give it a go. Jon got loaded back up and we carefully made our way through the evergreen farm and got as close as we dared to the bird’s suspected location across the road from us. Shawn got the camera reset and Jon tried to work his magic one more time. He gave out several loud clucks and we had an immediate response from the big tom. Jon waited a couple minutes and gave out several more loud clucks and Gobble Gobble Gobble was the response again. This went on for a good 30 minutes until we finally decided that we were at a stand still with this one. He wasn’t going to cross the road and we were out of options as we did not have access to hunt the property he was on. We were only burning daylight at that point and Jon had several other hot spots awaiting our arrival. We spent the next 3 hours playing hide and seek with several groups of birds but there is nothing like getting set-up in the early morning and having the first shot at the unsuspecting birds. Either way for me it was a most memorable hunting experience and to have the pleasure of getting the entire hunt on film was only an added bonus. I knew Jon still had four good days of hunting in front of him and I could not thank him enough for a Turkey Hunt To Remember! | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
For additional articles please review:
"Magnumitis" by Mike Moen
"Decoying Canada Geese" by B.C. Maxima
"The Perfect Rifle" by Mike Moen
"Planning For Next Season" by Mike Moen
"Pheasant Hunting 101" by B.C. Maxima
"Hunting Canadas Over Water" by B.C. Maxima
"A Guide Tipping Guide" by Mike Moen
"Tips For Taking Tom Turkey" by Jim Bennett
| |
| "Picking Your Next Pup" by Greg Ye- Professional Gun Dog Trainer | |
Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserve | |
|
| |
