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The Hunter/Poacher
Story By: The Watcher
The day was February 21st, 2005, it was already 6:00 PM and the sun was disappearing on the horizon as I traveled eastward on highway 60 in my little pick up truck. I had just left the area of Golden Lake, Ontario and was heading towards Eganville when I spotted a movement on the edge of my vision on the extreme left side, in a field. I hit the brakes and pulled over, looking in my review mirror I put the truck in reverse and went back to that open field. As soon as I was parallel to it I killed the ignition and rolled down my window to watch.
What I saw was spectacular, considering that here on a fresh bed of snow walked four magnificent birds. Strutting across the field, from my left to my right and heading towards the trees were four big wild turkeys, recently reintroduced to this area of Canada. The sunlight reflected off of the iridescent colors on their body feathers. The shimmer of green with gold highlights was great but I could only see the detail with my mini binoculars and I was glad that I had them along. These birds weighed roughly 20 to 25 pounds each, by sight judgment.
Those turkeys took their time heading for the trees, I think it was time they were roosting and I guess that is why they were going towards the trees. It was all so peaceful, calm, no breeze and the last of the sun was giving the snow a tint of pink. As the turkeys crossed the field and got closer to me, angling as they did, they got to within about 30 feet from me and closer to the spruce trees which were covered in fluffy white snow. I now had been watching them for nearly 5 minutes and it was a pleasure to know that all about me there was silence. I watched as they got to within 10 feet of the trees when suddenly the snow exploded and out of the snow a form of red and white appeared and latched itself upon the first turkey, the rest flew off and where gone in a blink of an eye. The red form was a fox and it was hanging onto the throat of the turkey, the blood was flying and in the struggle the turkey was screeching in pain. The fox was being shaken from left to right and back again as the turkey attempted to free itself, but in vain, the blood was covering the snow and within seconds it was over. As the turkey collapsed the fox was getting its first few mouthfuls of fresh warm meat and was enjoying it. So far it was looking over the field and it was slowly eating away at the neck area of the bird. The fox was very vigilant and wary, constantly looking across the field for any sign of intrusion. It must have felt something, because as I watched I saw its hackles slowly rising and it started to get nervous. It still hadn’t seen me. It had taken maybe its fourth bite when it turned to face the trees. That poor fox tucked its tail and ran, and I mean it ran. Out of the trees coming straight towards the fox and the unfortunate turkey came a lean fighting machine, a young beautiful wolf. That wolf was on the turkey in a few leaps and the fox was gone. Then the wolf turned and looked me right in the eyes, he stood there with the bird in its mouth and just looked. This young male seemed to sense that he was safe from me and let me look at his great fur coat. He was truly healthy the shine of the tips of his fur was glossy. The rest of the fur was long and thick and after a few seconds he walked with an easy lope into the trees.
I sat there for a minute more, shook my head as if coming out of a dream. This just doesn’t happen after all I seemed in a daze. I had to verify with my own eyes to see if it was real so I got out of the truck, crossed the road and jumped over the fence and walked in a good 30 feet and went to the site of the hunt. The blood was there all right and it was real. I could see the tracks from the turkeys and the fox. The fox had been under the snow for a while because the snow hole was in fact a short tunnel of about 6 feet. I was amazed at this hunter’s idea of a hidden planned attack that actually worked. I saw the tracks of the wolf and just when I was about to return to the road I saw near the first spruce tree, under a branch one lonely feather. I walked over and picked it up, it was a body feather from this turkey. It was nearly 5 1/4 inches long and the tip was a shiny iridescent green and gold, the rest of the solid part of the feather was a blend of reddish browns, the typical turkey pattern. The bottom of the quill was covered for about 2 1/2 inches with soft long grayish fluff. Just a breath of air and that fluff moved gracefully.
I headed back to the truck and put the feather on the dash and put my mini binoculars away. Pity that I didn’t have my 35 mm camera with me, and a good 500 mm lens. That would have been too sweet to capture on film. Better yet a video camera with a super zoom lens. It wasn’t meant to be. As I sat there I contemplated what I had just witnessed. As well my reaction to sit tight and let it unfold in front of me. I thanked Creator for letting me see this.
I could have gotten out of the truck sooner and claimed the turkey from the fox myself and the wolf would have lost its free meal. Then again how would I explain to an Officer of the Ministry that I didn’t kill that poor bird out of season? Poaching after all for this bird is supposedly a $5000.00 fine and that was too pricey a piece to pick up. Would any one believe me if I told them this hair brained story. I don’t think so, but I do have the feather to prove it. And just a funny thought, there were at this time roughly 17 birds missing, assuming that the fox was already a master hunter, could he be imprisoned or fined for poaching? What about the poor wolf, would he be arrested for the possession of stolen goods and poaching as well,, your guess is as good as mine. For now I will stick with the one feather and say thanks.
Chi Meegwetch (Many Thanks), the Watcher.
Story By: The Watcher
The day was February 21st, 2005, it was already 6:00 PM and the sun was disappearing on the horizon as I traveled eastward on highway 60 in my little pick up truck. I had just left the area of Golden Lake, Ontario and was heading towards Eganville when I spotted a movement on the edge of my vision on the extreme left side, in a field. I hit the brakes and pulled over, looking in my review mirror I put the truck in reverse and went back to that open field. As soon as I was parallel to it I killed the ignition and rolled down my window to watch.
What I saw was spectacular, considering that here on a fresh bed of snow walked four magnificent birds. Strutting across the field, from my left to my right and heading towards the trees were four big wild turkeys, recently reintroduced to this area of Canada. The sunlight reflected off of the iridescent colors on their body feathers. The shimmer of green with gold highlights was great but I could only see the detail with my mini binoculars and I was glad that I had them along. These birds weighed roughly 20 to 25 pounds each, by sight judgment.
Those turkeys took their time heading for the trees, I think it was time they were roosting and I guess that is why they were going towards the trees. It was all so peaceful, calm, no breeze and the last of the sun was giving the snow a tint of pink. As the turkeys crossed the field and got closer to me, angling as they did, they got to within about 30 feet from me and closer to the spruce trees which were covered in fluffy white snow. I now had been watching them for nearly 5 minutes and it was a pleasure to know that all about me there was silence. I watched as they got to within 10 feet of the trees when suddenly the snow exploded and out of the snow a form of red and white appeared and latched itself upon the first turkey, the rest flew off and where gone in a blink of an eye. The red form was a fox and it was hanging onto the throat of the turkey, the blood was flying and in the struggle the turkey was screeching in pain. The fox was being shaken from left to right and back again as the turkey attempted to free itself, but in vain, the blood was covering the snow and within seconds it was over. As the turkey collapsed the fox was getting its first few mouthfuls of fresh warm meat and was enjoying it. So far it was looking over the field and it was slowly eating away at the neck area of the bird. The fox was very vigilant and wary, constantly looking across the field for any sign of intrusion. It must have felt something, because as I watched I saw its hackles slowly rising and it started to get nervous. It still hadn’t seen me. It had taken maybe its fourth bite when it turned to face the trees. That poor fox tucked its tail and ran, and I mean it ran. Out of the trees coming straight towards the fox and the unfortunate turkey came a lean fighting machine, a young beautiful wolf. That wolf was on the turkey in a few leaps and the fox was gone. Then the wolf turned and looked me right in the eyes, he stood there with the bird in its mouth and just looked. This young male seemed to sense that he was safe from me and let me look at his great fur coat. He was truly healthy the shine of the tips of his fur was glossy. The rest of the fur was long and thick and after a few seconds he walked with an easy lope into the trees.
I sat there for a minute more, shook my head as if coming out of a dream. This just doesn’t happen after all I seemed in a daze. I had to verify with my own eyes to see if it was real so I got out of the truck, crossed the road and jumped over the fence and walked in a good 30 feet and went to the site of the hunt. The blood was there all right and it was real. I could see the tracks from the turkeys and the fox. The fox had been under the snow for a while because the snow hole was in fact a short tunnel of about 6 feet. I was amazed at this hunter’s idea of a hidden planned attack that actually worked. I saw the tracks of the wolf and just when I was about to return to the road I saw near the first spruce tree, under a branch one lonely feather. I walked over and picked it up, it was a body feather from this turkey. It was nearly 5 1/4 inches long and the tip was a shiny iridescent green and gold, the rest of the solid part of the feather was a blend of reddish browns, the typical turkey pattern. The bottom of the quill was covered for about 2 1/2 inches with soft long grayish fluff. Just a breath of air and that fluff moved gracefully.
I headed back to the truck and put the feather on the dash and put my mini binoculars away. Pity that I didn’t have my 35 mm camera with me, and a good 500 mm lens. That would have been too sweet to capture on film. Better yet a video camera with a super zoom lens. It wasn’t meant to be. As I sat there I contemplated what I had just witnessed. As well my reaction to sit tight and let it unfold in front of me. I thanked Creator for letting me see this.
I could have gotten out of the truck sooner and claimed the turkey from the fox myself and the wolf would have lost its free meal. Then again how would I explain to an Officer of the Ministry that I didn’t kill that poor bird out of season? Poaching after all for this bird is supposedly a $5000.00 fine and that was too pricey a piece to pick up. Would any one believe me if I told them this hair brained story. I don’t think so, but I do have the feather to prove it. And just a funny thought, there were at this time roughly 17 birds missing, assuming that the fox was already a master hunter, could he be imprisoned or fined for poaching? What about the poor wolf, would he be arrested for the possession of stolen goods and poaching as well,, your guess is as good as mine. For now I will stick with the one feather and say thanks.
Chi Meegwetch (Many Thanks), the Watcher.
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