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New Zealand turkey

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Dogger View Drop Down
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    Posted: July/18/2008 at 15:49
Pics were taken on Jan 20th this year. Location was an area in central Otago nicknamed the "rock & pillar range" on a 5000 acre sheep and cattle station.  This area is about 1hour NW of Dunedin and has a semi-arrid climate.
 
Beautiful day, clear about 85 deg - scenery was spectacular as was the hunting.  My son-in-laws first venture after turkey and he bagged 4.  Turkeys are not considered a game bird in NZ so no season and no limit.  The locals don't hunt them so there were birds everywhere.
 
We were hunting in a foothill region.  In some of the pics you can see the plains about 3000 ft below us.  Scan for green valley areas where there is water, then search for the birds and do a stalk using brush for cover.   You will note the careful use of camo in some pics!
 
 
And this is their food of choice.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 15:54
Those pics are great, Craig!
 
Did you all just hunt them like pheasant?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 15:59
Just spot & stalk Mark using the bow.  Our warden friend had his rifle in case we ran into red deer or pigs.  Could have easily shot more.  I had the shotgun but didn't bother, wanted to blood the son-in-law, and would not have been as sporting with the gun.  These birds while wary have not had hunting pressure.
 
This type of hunting would have to be experienced - nothing like here at all.  John chuckled when he saw my camo gear and calls.  Just not needed.
 
That pile of gooseberries all came from 1 tom.  Greedy bugger!


Edited by Dogger - July/18/2008 at 15:59
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 16:06
I thought those were gooseberries. Man, it's been several years since I've seen those.
Mother used to make gooseberry pie.
 
That is incredible scenery, Craig. What a cool hunting expedition it must have been. Going back there anytime soon?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 17:37
Planning to go next January - will have pigs & deer on the agenda this time!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 18:18
Great pics Craig Thanks for sharing them brother.  Thunbs%20Up 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 18:34
If you take me with you, I'll put my range in Toronto...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2008 at 18:43
Let's get working on the details kickboxer!
 
My wife may be a little upset when I tell her she's got to stay home but I'll explain it's for the good of the forum.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/20/2008 at 08:23
Super pictures and story, Dogger..( I don't know if I will ever be able to think of you as Craig after Marvin the Martian and 2000 posts full of foolishness...) !!!  Bucky  Is that you wearing the white beard ??   Shocked 
 
Anyway, what a great trip!!   Did you see any red deer or other big game?   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/20/2008 at 15:45

Lots of red deer but doesn't count because they were in fields being raised for market.  The son-in-law and I did have a couple of days in fiordland to hunt deer but damn near got eaten alive by sandflies (blackflies to us).  Very strange area, lots of very old growth beech forests and strange looking plant life.  The camo I had was the wrong pattern for the season but had to wear it because of the bugs.  Didn't seem like deer hunting because the weather was in the mid to high 80's and it was daylight until 10 PM.

I cleaned the turkeys because although the son-in-law is a cardio-thoracic surgeon there's nothing quite like the aroma of a bird shot through the guts by a broadhead early in the day and left in the back of a pickup for about 10 hours in hot sun.  Don't think he has ever experienced That kind of smell in the O.R.!
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/20/2008 at 15:59
....ummm....I usually find turkey at the market around Thanksgiving for $.69 a pound!!!!  Bandito
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/20/2008 at 16:44
Just not the same flavour Ed!  Didn't you ever hang your pheasants Ed?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/21/2008 at 02:38
Nice story and pics. Thanks for sharing that with us. Nothing beats those wide open spaces and a reason to be out there!!!
Thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/21/2008 at 07:41
Originally posted by Dogger Dogger wrote:

Just not the same flavour Ed!  Didn't you ever hang your pheasants Ed?
 
no....
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