Search For The Eastern 
Ohio - Last Day, Two Birds? Why Not!
At daylight we were at one of Doug Crabtree's wild turkey haunts. He and Terry Speakman began calling. Answering gobbles came from across the county road. We drove a short ways down the road and stopped at a home. Doug talked to the owner and he granted us permission to bowhunt his property. We set up two Double Bull blinds on a hill and Doug and Terry moved several hundred yards toward the birds and worked them back toward the blinds. NEXT

Ohio - Opening Day, A Nice Day For A Grand Slam
Doug Crabtree Gets His Grand Slam For 2003

We drove to another area, on the top of a mountain, parked the truck and got out. Doug had bagged a gobbler here a few years ago. He stood quietly, listening, for at least 15 minutes. Then he said, "A gobble," and he pointed into the dense woods. Terry Speakman and I hadn't heard anything, but I've already learned not to doubt his incredible hearing. He started down a nearby walking trail. In 200 yards he signaled Terry and they went to work, each calling with a variety of calls. Then Terry and I returned to the truck while Doug went another 300 yards. In short order Doug came a running. "He's coming," he said. 
We grabbed the two Double Bull blinds and followed Doug for 500 yards. Doug cut and yelped. The Tom gobbled. We set up quickly because the bird's gobbles got louder, he was coming fast. Doug called again and the gobbler belted out a thunderous gobble. Then we saw him, a longbeard. He went into the cautious mode and stopped 25 yards away. I took one pic.
Doug drew, aimed, and sent his arrow to the mark. The gobbler ran down hill. Doug yanked up the edge of the blind lit out. In a few minutes he came walking uphill carrying the longbeard:  Pic 1 and Pic 2. Doug had just completed his part of our Quest For The Grand Slam, with the bow, in the Spring of 2003. Here Doug is with the Grand Slam Eastern longbeard. (How about that smile!) And here is another pic of Doug in the Setup he used. to complete his Grand Slam. Woooeeeee, what a morning. 

An Hour Before That ...

Doug Crabtree and Terry Speakman located gobbles and figured a way to get to the birds. We set up on a hillside in a field adjacent to a wood line. Doug and Terry began calling and we heard gobbles right away. The gobbles got closer fast and we saw them coming down the hill and approached our decoys. The decoys were 10 yards from the blind and the two Toms were a couple of steps further. I drew and aimed at the lead bird. (In picture #5 you can actually see my arrow on it's way to the Tom on the left.) My arrow hit on the money. The tom ran to the edge of the woods and went down 25 yards from us. The other bird flew back uphill. Right away, more gobbles came from the woods downhill. Photos of this hunt as it came down.

Terry Speakman hunts with us and bags an Eastern
Five Toms came to the edge of the woods and strutted and gobbled. Terry's blind was set next to ours and he got ready to shoot. The birds entered the open and walked up to the decoys. Two gobbled right in the face of the hen decoy. Terry aimed at one and shot. The arrow hit the vitals and the Tom ran a few yards into the woods and dropped. The other Tom's ran to it and we heard them gobble and peck the downed bird. 
Once the Toms had gone Terry and I picked up our wild turkeys, tagged them, and took pictures. We took down the blinds and went looking for more wild turkey action. We found it, too. Pics taken as Terry Speakman's hunt happened.

Dennis Crabtree Starts The Hunt Out With A Gobbler
Dennis Crabtree has pre scouted a longbeard and he went to one of his travel routs before dawn. His hunting partner Colby Johnson set up a couple hundred yards away. Behind him, Dennis heard footsteps in the leaves. Suddenly there was a very loud gobble, the Tom was right behind the tree Dennis was leaning against. The longbeard walked past him and Dennis and shot him at 18 yards. That's Dennis and his grandkids in the picture. Dennis, here is a larger picture for you.

Sponsors For The 2003 Grand Slam
Our double Grand Slam with the bow created excitement with several manufacturers and they stepped up to the plate to sponsor the event. The sponsors are:  Alpine Archery (bows), Barrie Archery (Rocky Mountain broadheads), Double Bull (blinds), Knight & Hale Game Calls, Pro Release (release aids), EASTON Archery (arrows), Spott Hogg (bowsights), Fine-Line Archery (peep sights & bowquivers), Bododle (arrow rests), Timberline Archery (bowsights), Knight & Hale (turkey calls), Florida Wildlife Unlimited (Florida Osceolas), Dave Keiser's Double K Guide Service (Merriam's), and Freddie Bear Sports.