Spring Turkey Hunting 2010

The 2010 spring turkey season was a tough one. we did see a lot of nice birds, and did call in a few. I was the only one of my hunting buddies to harves a bird. he had a 9-1/2 inch beard 3/4 inch spurs and weighed 16 lbs. kind of small for an adult bird.
It seems the winter must have been hard on the turkeys, we saw a lot of adult toms, however we only saw one Jake the whole season.

This hen came in to the decoys and calls !

she was clucking and purring answering my calls.

she kept comeing closer clucking the whole time. she seemed to be asking to join my flock of decoys!

I answered her softly, letting her know she was welcome to join our flock!

She kept trying to see the turkey that was answering her. (me calling from inside my pop up blind!)

she kept coming closer trying to find the source of the calls!

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she came in to about 6 feet from the blind !

 she couldn't find the source of my calls!

she joined the decoys and fed with them for about 20 minutes then calmly walked off!

Chicken and Taters on the drum

my chimney starter works great !

I got it at ether Lowes or Home Depot

for less than $4.00

I put a dry rub on the chicken, and put it on the drum 

with some taters

 

I cooked it at 250deg  untill it reached an internal

temp of 170, (about 2-1/2 hours) I put some venison on about a half hour

before the chicken was done.

it sure was yummy!

Dinner

Stuffed steak, stuffed mushrooms, and twice baked potatoes!

Wild turkey breast on the drum.

I used a dry rub on the turkey, put it on the drum,

and layed bacon over the top.

I put some potatoes on with the turkey.

It cooked  at 250 degrees untill the internal

temperature reached 165 degrees about 2 hours.

I put a red onion on in the last half hour.

It sure was tasty, and juicy.

my ugly drum smoker

I burned some hardwood bark and wood chips in my

 food grade barrel.

Next I sanded and painted the barrel with the first coat of high temp bbq paint

then I drilled any holes that were needed.

then I put a couple more coats of paint on the barrel.

I bolted a door handle onto the lid. I drilled 1 inch holes

in the lid. 3/4 inch pipe plugs fit perfect.

I had these grill grates laying around.

I made this charcoal basket by cutting, bending, and

wireing the grates together.

 

the basket has four legs that hold it 2-1/2 inches off the

bottom of the barrel.

the cooking grate is 2 feet above the charcoal basket.

the barrel fits perfect on this old gas grill frame

I mounted the barrel to the gas grill cart.

the smoker works the way it is but,

 I plan to replace the wheels, and

the wood on the shelves.

  

The UDS with the new shelf upgrade!

turkey hunting spring 2009

the spring 2009 turkey season was a good one

My friend and hunting partner and I harvested these

two toms while sitting together in my pop up blind.

Dans Tom weighed 22lbs
and had 11-1/2 inch beard

Mine (the one on the right)weighed 19-1/2 lbs

and also had an 11-1/2 inch beard

My brother inlaw got his first turkey

a 18 lb Jake!

2009 was a good year!

can't wait to see what the 2010 spring turkey season will bring.

Dans 12 yr old daughter will be hunting for her first time

she will probably show us up!

I hope she does!

sunset

this is the view over looking the farm where I grew up!

the Adirondack mountains are in the back ground

there are some small woodlots here and there

that make for pretty good whitetail, turkey, and small game hunting