AZ Bird

[Basser]

Figures I go all the way out to Kansas and can't kill a bird when they're literally everywhere around me but can somehow manage to kill one in AZ within the first 15 minutes. Our bird numbers are nowhere near what they are in Kansas...

My buddy was waiting for me at the truck.

 

['Ike']

Awesome bird Bas....

 

[awapiti]

Thats a nice bird, Congratulations!

 

[Mudranger1]

that's sweet good job

 

[choc dogs]

bet the dog said thank you for retrieving that one yourself. Good looking dog, and congrats on the Turkey.

 

[mdunc8]

Great looking bird. Congrats.

 

[Randy11]

Good looking bird and dog Rob...

 

[Devil Diver Down]

Nice job, Basser. I was hoping to get out this weekend for the start of archery season but because of Mother's Day, it doesn't look like it's in the cards. I don't think the gobblers were at much risk from me anyway.

I'd like to get my oldest up into an area we could get on some birds--he's never seen them up close and I'd like it if he could bag the first one in our house.

 

[Basser]

DDD - I'm sure you've noticed but they have Jr tags that are OTC now and they are in some good areas for birds too. This year has been very tough for turkey across the state due to weather and a limited number of birds from a big kill off last winter in many units. Usually the Jr seasons have really good action since they open a week sooner than the rest of the tags but even this year it seemed to be pretty rough.

I added some extra pics and the story to a blog if anyone is interested...
http://teamkendrickoutdoors.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-az-turkey-season.html

 

[Devil Diver Down]

Basser-
Yeah, he has an OTC tag. We were up at the Junior Turkey Camp in 4A/4B for the opener. Not much action--only 5 birds taken overall by those at the camp in the 4 units that were being hunted. It didn't help that the Forest Service had FR300 closed past Woods Canyon, effectively closing 4A down and concentrating all of the OTC hunters in 4B.

It also didn't help that his dad knows jack squat about hunting turkeys. We got to go out with a mentor twice and got near birds both times so we learned a lot and had a good time. We wanted to shoot up to unit 1 this weekend (my hunt starts & his starts back up) but mom isn't having it. The juniors did well up there opening weekend.

We were planning to do a work project with AES up in unit 7 (another OTC unit for juniors) next weekend but that may not work out either with my schedule. My best bet is to do a 1 day cast and blast near Chevelon if I can work in a fishing day before 5/19.

 

[Basser]

Unit 7 is where I took my bird and I got really lucky to do so. We got into one group of fired up birds on Sunday but other than that there were zero reports of birds making any noise. The amount of sign we saw in there was way down compared to previous years.

But every time you are able to get out into the turkey woods you will be able to learn something new, and if you get lucky, run into some very cooperative birds that will make it seem easy. You need one of those days once in a while to make up for the majority of the time.

Hopefully you can make it up to the AES project in a couple of weeks. I was going to be up there to help but unfortunately my plans have changed and I will be headed down south instead to look for a place to live in Tucson since I will be moving down that way next month.

 

[mtmiller]

Nice bird and homage to your hunting partner.

 

[DaveHawk]

Nice Bird Bas ! I was talking with a buddy in NH yesterday and he told me hunting turkeys is not much of a challenge and I asked him why ? He said all you need to do is drive down any back road and when you see them get out and shoot. There live everywhere , like crows LOL

I could get use to that during turkey season

 

[AZ402]

Congrats Rob, nice looking bird!

 

[noharleyyet]

Nice tom, boots, and hunting partner.

 

[1_pointer]

Congrats on a nice bird!!!

Crappy hat though...

 

[grizzly5028]

Congrats on the bird!