You get drawn about every 4 years with the current tag levels.
I was drwn in 2007. One of the hardest hunts I have been on. What I mean by that is the turkeys are not necessarily on every hillside. In that regard they are more like elk, than deer. Just because it is good habitat, doesn't mean there are birds there. However, that doesn't mean the next ridge over, isn't covered in them. If it is raining hard, or blowing hard, they won't hear your calls and you will not hear them respond. The suckers often want to be on top of the ridges and not down along the creeks like I suspected they would be. Lots of hiking and climbing.
Yes there is lots of hunting time in May. I left my house in Calgary at 3AM, was hunting by 530AM, legal light ended at 10PM, I got home at 1230AM. That, my friends, is a very long day!
I was rained out the first day. By 930AM, I was looking for some gopher wood, it was raining so hard. Some of the trails in the Porkies quickly become impassable if it rains much. The next day I hunted, I hunted all day, but it was so windy, never could hear anything. The third day, hooked up with a friend from Pincher. Almost thought we had one. For some reason the bird flew to another mountain. Ran out of daylight to go get him. I was next rained and snowed out. Finally on the 28th, I finally got one, I guess you would call it a jake, or adolescent male.
Would I do it again? It was fun, and got me out of the house when the hills and mountains are sure beautiful, but I was so determined to be one of the few who are sucessful, I was actually stressed out about it. It really helps to have a local experienced person to help out. As I said, the birds aren't on every hill.
I used my remchoke 20" slugbarrel, with a extrafull turkey choke installed and a red dot scope on top. It worked well. However, I would go to #5 or #4 shot in the Winchester XX 3 inch mag. I used #6 and found that the pellets didn't penetrate that well. He was at 40-45 yds and wasn't crossing the fence to come any closer. It was shoot or go home. I shot. And shot, and shot, and then my friend had him by the legs and wrung his neck. Tough birds. Maybe something like heavy shot would work better? It was about maximum range. Or, maybe when I had to completely disassemble the shotgun after the torrential rain, when the barrel went back on, the zero was off? Dead is dead though, just disappointed it wasn't a bang flop.
I will put in again. I have 3 years to decide if I want to do it again.
Alberta Turkey
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