Prepping for Turkey Season

Turkey Season is just 6 days away. For a whole month in the surrounding counties we get to take one tom per county to a total limit of 3 toms. With that i have been buying up Turkey Calls and Camo as well as practicing shooting my shot gun from 40 and 50 yards.

 

I have been using the Primos tight wad Turkey Choke but it still seems to spread the pattern at the 40 - 50 yard mark. The Havi-Shot seem to do this even even more than some other rounds i tried. I've also been practicing my calls with a Box Call and a Slate Call.

End of Falconry Season

Season ended abruptly with Daisy contracting Asper. We where selling the house in south Oklahoma and i had to take her with me to finish some repairs on the house, Came back and she didn't handle the traveling very well. I took her to 3 different vets and consulted with a forth. Needles to say i probably will only consult with two of them in the future.

I finally took her to Perry White, She died on the way and we did an autopsy. He confirmed Asper. It sucked all round. I probably learnt the most form this one bird than any of the others. She was amazing and frustrating all at the same time.

I caught more game with her than any other bird. I tried Car Hawking but to me unless your with someone else driving a car and handling a mid size bird is to much for me. Maybe next season I'll have someone else to hawk with. I pretty much stayed to myself this year, too much politics with different groups and I'll probably do the same next season. I have been acquiring more property to hunt rabbits on. Probably close to 300 acres now on the east side of bartlesville. One field in particular is brilliant for rabbit hawking and is where we caught the most.

I decided not to fly another Coopers Hawk for a few season at least. Mainly due to the amount of effort and level of detail you have to put into them. I tend to find i read the books and they all say that then when you actually get into it you realise just how much so. I still wanted a bird that can take fur and feather. The last trip down to see my sponsor Steve Armstong proved that with his Male HH Smash. He just grabbed his HH and went hunting even after having had a break (because of Steve being sick) and still caught game. So with that in mind i bit the bullet.

I have ordered a Coulson Male Harris Hawk for next season which should be hear around mid August. I have also been digesting their book. Harris Hawks Revolution. It's probably the best book i have ever read on training and looking after Hunting Hawks.

I choose a Coulson because every one i spoke to, either has one or wants one. The price wasn't to bad either.

I have also been offered the loan of a passage female Harris to complete the socializing of my male so he will hunt with other hawks. Right now the eggs are hatching and the Coulsons are working with the chicks. So next season is going to be an interesting time.

I also bought my first shot gun. I got a Remington 870 Mag Express. I am planning on going Turkey Hunting this spring with a next door neighbour. I'll be posting more about the equipment i intend to use and hopefully we will bag a turkey.