“You’ve got to see the bear that just showed up on one of our trail cameras.” Said Dusty Vickrey, manager on the expansive Choctaw Hunting Lodge, owned by the Choctaw Nation. Dusty knew my interest in bears, particularly since I would be returning to the Choctaw come October for the black bear archery season. “He’s not as big as the one that was shot on some of our leased lands to the south. That one weighed 515-pounds at the Check Station. Have a look and tell me what you think he might weigh.” With that Dusty showed me the trail camera photo.
Standing next to the Choctaw’s Vineyard Max protein feeders, the bear was tall and long. His ears looked short and stubby compared to his large “melon” head. No doubt he was big. Over the years I have hunted black bear from Alaska south to Arizona and Alaska east to New Brunswick, Canada. I’ve taken numerous “nice” black bear, some which squared upwards of 8-feet, including one that weighed in excess of 500-pounds. I shot that 500-pound bear on Arizona’s White Mountain Apache Reservation at a grand distance measured in inches rather than yards as he charged. He was so close, the flame coming out of my .50 muzzleloader burned the hair of his in-coming chest.
The Oklahoma bear in the photo looked somewhat similar, just not quite as big. “Right now I think that bear will weigh in the neighborhood for 350-pounds. Come fall after fattening-up, I think he might weigh 400 or more. No doubt he’s tall at the shoulder and long of body.” I hesitated, then said. “Dusty, this is supposed to be an Eastern turkey hunt. Don’t make me wish my life away wanting it to be October 1, when archery bear season opens and I’ll be hunting with my new TenPoint crossbow!” Dusty grinned widely.
“Let me see that photo Dusty.” Said Edgar Cotton sitting in the front seat of Dusty’s Mule. After one look at the photo, Edgar said, “That bear is the one I’ll be looking for when I get back here in for the bear season opener. Put my name on that one!”
“How about we concentrate on turkeys… Besides I’m going to be the one to shoot that bear come October. Remember, I’m the one sighting in both your crossbows. You both better be real nice to me,” said David, Edgar’s son with a wide smile.
I looked at Edgar, “He does make an excellent point!”
Heading toward the lodge we met up with Luke Clayton and Jeff Rice. I do a weekly radio show and weekly podcast with Luke, “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and Friends”, have been doing so for over eighteen years. I also co-host the weekly “A Sportsman’s Life” digital television show, seen on CarbonTV.com and our YouTube channel with the same title, with Luke and Jeff.
They had been hunting hogs while we hunted turkeys; successfully hunting hogs. Pork in their coolers, both had to unfortunately leave immediately after lunch.
Back at the extremely comfortable Choctaw lodge to have a quick lunch before a trip to the range and then heading back to the turkey woods, we pulled to back the lodge. There hung a turkey sporting what looked a long beard and long spurs. Stepping into the lodge we were greeted by Choctaw guide Terry Stuart and his hunter Kale Eversull, right behind Kale stood a broadly smiling Van Eversull, Kale’s father. Van had purchased the Choctaw Hunting Lodge (www.choctawhuntinglodge.com) eastern turkey hunt at our annual DSC Foundation Gala and Fundraiser (www.DSCF.org) for Kale and his brother Karson, all DSC Life Members (www.biggame.org).
“Worked like a charm!” said Terry. “We called a few times and that gobbler, probably at least 3-years old, came in like he was on a string. Kale dropped him. Haven’t measured the beard but sure looks like it’s about 11-inches long.” He continued, “If you look at the primary feathers on his wings, you’ll see he’s been doing a lot of strutting.”
After appropriate congratulations to Kale, we headed to the kitchen and dining room. Meals prepared or overseen by Nacolh, Dusty’s wife who “handles” many things on the Choctaw, are unbelievably delicious and plentiful. We all dived in, while listening to Kale tell his story of success, and Karson’s near opportunity.
I had hunted with David and Edgar from a blind. At Edgar’s near 85-years young we decided setting up a blind on the edge of a field where gobblers often strutted, would be the appropriate place for us to call from and watch.
Dusty’s seductive hen enticements produced much gobbling. Those gobblers were intercepted by “real hens”, which unfortunately lead them away. No turkey, but we still had a great time.
Before heading out for the afternoon’s hunt we went to the Choctaw’s extremely fine rifle range, steel targets out to 1,200-yards. I had brought my .454 Casull Taurus Raging Hunter, topped with an old 2-7×24 Simmons long-eye relief scope. It is sighted in with Hornady’s Custom 240-grain XTP, a load that particular handgun loves! It was that same handgun with which on the Cotton Ranch I hit the 500-yard target numerous times.
I loaded five rounds into the cylinder and handed it to Edgar, who proceeded to shoot all 5 rounds at the 200-yard target. Not surprisingly all five shots were within the 2-inch bullseye.
Minutes later David loaded his Mossberg Patriot Predator 6.5 PRC topped with a Stealth Vision SVT 3-18×40 scope with Hornady’s Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X ammo. He proceeded to put a bullet into the bullseye at 200, 350 and 600 yards. After that Dusty and Karson shot my handgun as well. They too shot extremely well at 200 yards After burning a bit of powder we headed back to the lodge before leaving for the afternoon’s hunt.
Dusty decided we should hunt a pop-up blind on a ridge top where he and his “crew” had often seen strutting gobblers. The ridge overlooked a waterhole. Two days previously a black bear had been seen in the area as well.
An hour into our hunt we spotted three gobblers that came to water at the pond. Unfortunately, they were beyond shotgun range. Both had checked their shotguns’ patterns out to 60-yards. Unfortunately, the gobblers according to my Stealth Vision Range Finder binoculars were never closer than 78 yards.
That night back at camp stories about past hunts and adventures dominated the conversations.
And as is so often the case, it didn’t take long to spend the night in hunting camp! Our intention was to get into our blind well before first light, so not to disturb any turkeys that might be roosting in trees below the ridge we were on.
Shortly after first light, early for turkeys to have left the roost, two hens appeared. They fed in the area for the next hour, and, were later joined by a third hen. The trio stayed where we could see them for another hour. Dusty called occasionally. Gobblers responded, but did not come our way. We hoped the decoying hens might attract a gobbler. Interestingly, the hens never so much as clucked, putted or purred during the nearly three hours they stayed in our area. Had they have been vocal, perhaps one of the gobblers we heard might have made an appearance.
About 11 we decided to head to camp. There we were again met by a broadly beaming Terry the guide, and this time Karson the hunter and Van the proud father. “He came to the call, like you see on turkey hunting tv shows, directly toward us. Terry did a fabulous job of pulling him in on a string!” said a smiling Karson.
Karson’s gobbler was a mirror image of his brother’s. It too had an 11-inch beard with equally long spurs. Impressive!
Over a delicious brunch, the Eversull’s decided with two great gobblers down, to head home. Edgar and David after some talking decided they too needed to start heading home. They had to get back, pick up their wives and head toward a distant graduation. I, like Dusty and crew, hated to see everyone leave.
The day before arriving on the Choctaw I had had minor surgery where my neck and shoulder meet. I had been hurting a bit more than suggested dosages of Extra Strength Tylenol was taking care of. With our hunters departing I decided to leave as well. Knowing I would be driving the next near eight-hours to get home. I knew it would only be a matter of several weeks before I was going to be back on the Choctaw!
Did I mention the Choctaw Hunting Lodge is one of my favorite places on earth?
