Been having a good time reading opening day stories and having fun in the bush myself. Lot's of turkey's out there for sure.
6:00am opening morning I could see the silouhette of a longbeard on the roost about 50 yds to my right. A few soft tree yelps and he gobbled followed by another gobble on another tree. They both flew down below the ridgline very close so I gave a few purrs and clucks and brought the gun up. Sure enough about 5 mins I see a white head bob up over the ridge only 15 feet in front of me! Problem was it was the little jake. 2 inch beard but a whole lot of strut! He was spitting and drumming and showing off right in the bead of my 12 guage but I knew the big guy was just below as well so I waited. Long story short the big guy never showed and vanished it seems. I passed on the jake and eventually he got spooked.
Day 2 I proved for the second year in a row the theory that gobblers won't cross bodies of water is false. Located a gobbler but he was on the other side of a 75 yd wide river. I put the decoy down and went to work getting that guy in a frenzy. Before long I have a hen coming in to check me out 10 yds in front. She eventually walks off into the bush and is gone. After a little more calling and a lot of silence from the other side I am about to give up. All of a sudden this big turkey comes soaring from across the river right over my head! Quite a sight. He flew deeper into the bush behind me and I think he found that hen because I didn't see him again.
Lots of fun after only 2 days! 28 more to go unless my wife kicks me out.
Lots of action in Ontario bush
