Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

My uncles Smoke Phase Turkey

themedic

Junior Member
755
0
OHIO
Just wanted to share a picture and story with everyone at TOO. This is a smoke phase gobbler my uncle shot on March 25th and the full story of the hunt. Enjoy!
 

themedic

Junior Member
755
0
OHIO
Here is the story but I cant upload all the additional pics:


I began getting excited about the Ohio 2012 Spring Turkey Season on the morning of March 25th. While looking out the front window of my home I saw an unusual looking turkey. Within a few seconds the jake went into full strut. “Wow”, I couldn’t believe how beautiful this bird looked at that moment. From my view he appeared to be all black and white. I saw no brown or red shades on him at all. I ran to get my camera and upon returning saw the three hens he had with him. I was able to capture all four birds in one shot. I took several pictures before they escaped into the woods.

After downloading the pictures, I sent them to several friends for their thoughts. I was surprised to find one of the hens had a beard. This was the first time I had ever seen a bearded hen and I thought it was particularly cool to have the black and white jake and a bearded hen in the same shot.

I got several opinions about this turkey. They included 1) it’s a domestic bird, 2) it’s a phase turkey, 3) it’s a piebald and 4) it’s a turkey of Oregon Gray lineage whose genes were dormant for several generations before emerging in this bird. (NOTE: The Oregon Gray breed went extinct in the late 1990’s when the last know breeding pair died) All of these are nothing more than opinions as its true origin is not known and probably never will be.

I tried to keep an eye out for this turkey during the next month until the season arrived but lost sight of him after about a week. For the next few weeks or so I did not see him at all. My hopes of harvesting such a unique turkey had all but vanished.

Then, on the first Sunday of Spring Season I walked out to the barn, in preparation for going to work at my niece’s new home construction site, I saw him in the field with a mature Tom and a hen. They were about 300 yards away and the Tom was strutting for the hen. The black and white jake was separated from the others by about 20 yards. I immediately kicked into “hunting mode” and grabbed my binoculars and box call from the truck. Now, I have to say I am not a professional turkey hunter, by any means, and I owe most of my turkey hunting knowledge to BigDumbF***#2 who took me on my first turkey hunt about four years ago. I introduced him to bow hunting for deer, when he was a young boy, and he later returned the favor with turkey hunting. He has since become an avid spokesperson and writer in both fields. Giving a few clucks and then a series of yelps I received no response. After another series of yelps the bird I was after started walking away from the group, even further. “Okay, I might have a chance”, I thought. I quickly grabbed my two hen decoys and set them up along the edge of my woods. I then went back to the barn for my gun and slapped in three shells. Sneaking into the woods, I slowly travelled near where my decoys were set-up. I got into position and prepared to wait but to my surprise he was already cresting the knoll, and within range, with his head held high trying to spot the hens beyond the knoll. Without hesitation, I shot! He rolled back down the hill and feathers floated in the air.

I was overwhelmed with excitement as I exited the woods and went to him, only to see, not more than 15 yards away, the mature Tom that apparently followed him through the field to also check out the hens. Upon seeing me he made a quick escape into the woods.

As it turned out, a day set aside for working turned into the best turkey hunting day of my life in a mere 30 minutes or so.
Ernie Mock
 

themedic

Junior Member
755
0
OHIO
I just noticed I put the wrong date on the title, he first saw the bird march 25th and shot it on the first sunday of the season