• Hot Spring Action

    With recent temperatures resembling those of mid-July, local outdoor enthusiasts are basking in the sun while enjoying their pass-times. The hot weather hasn’t seemed to put a damper on the wild turkey season in the Grey-Bruce region, or the fishing for that matter. Reports have been coming in to Watson’s Tackle & Guns that Tom turkeys are still gobbling hard, and entries into the Big Gobbler Contest are evidence that the hunting is still good. Low winds and gorgeous skies have had many anglers seeking out trout and salmon on both Huron and Georgian Bay.

    Big Gobbler Contest

    There have been some movers and shakers in the Big Gobbler Contest with a new overall Typical Turkey division leader. Marcel Labonte of Kincardine overtook Jason Clusiau for the largest gobbler to date. Labonte’s bird tipped the scales at 25.2lbs, sported a 10 3/8th inch beard and had spurs of 1 ½ inches each. This whopping Tom scored 75.9375 edging Clusiau out of top spot by 1 point. Gene Johnston still holds onto the top spot in the Non-Typical Turkey division with his double-bearded Tom which scored 89.81. Julia Coon is no stranger to the contest, she won the Women’s Division last year and has once again entered a stunning bird. Julia now sits atop of the Women’s Division with a gobbler which scores 70.25 points. Logan Droefke has managed to keep the lead in the Youth Division with his bird which scored 69.375.


    There have been 375 turkeys entered into the contest. This number eclipses the total number of birds entered in 2011 and there is still a week remaining in the 2012 spring season. The Big Gobbler Contest wraps up on the final day of the season (May 31st). Drew Watson noted that “many birds are entering into the later stages of the breeding season.” This means that the hens are going to nest earlier in the day leaving love-struck gobblers looking for receptive hens (therefore becoming easier for hunters to call in.) In layman’s terms: get out in the woods and hunt! Tickets for the Big Gobbler Contest can still be purchased at Watson’s Tackle & Guns in Owen Sound, Lake Huron Rod & Gun in Underwood, and The Rack & Roost in Brussels. All proceeds from the contest are donated to the Grey Bruce Eat and Learn Program.

    Fish Kincardine Derby

    The 27th annual Fish Kincardine Derby kicked off late last week and runs until May 27th. This event is hosted by the Kincardine Chamber of Commerce and has been a popular event for anglers along the Huron Shoreline for almost three decades. Balmy weather over the weekend had many anglers enjoying the fishing for both trout and salmon while trying to land a big one and take home over $5000 in top place prizes. I had the chance to speak with a few local anglers and reports suggest that some good salmon fishing has been taking place in 70 to 130 feet of water off Kincardine, north to Port Elgin. Top picks have been Hotfish spoons, crafted by local charter captain Tony Degasperis; and flasher and anchovy rigs staggered at various depths with downriggers. Here is a round up of the top 5 in both salmon and trout divisions as of Wednesday May 23rd.

    Salmon:

    16.14lbs, Dave Spalding of MT Bridges, ON.
    15.96lbs, Al Billings of Sarnia, ON.
    14.95lbs, Chris Dwinnell of Kincardine, ON.
    14.80lbs, Doug Eaton of Innerkip, ON.
    14.64lbs, Wayne Sachs of Hanover, ON.

    Trout:

    19.04lb Brown Trout, Ken McClement of Kincardine, ON.
    17.18lb Brown Trout, Dave Spalding of MT Bridges, ON.
    16.58lb Brown Trout, Bob Ross of Embro, ON.
    15.96lb Brown Trout, Al Billings of Sarnia, ON.
    15.90lb Lake Trout, Dan Bermanschlager of Desboro, ON.

    For more info on the Fish Kincardine Derby, log onto http://www.kincardinechamberofcommerce.com/

    Peninsula Birds

    Freelance Outdoor Photographer Ethan Meleg (Owen Sound) and friends completed their annual Bruce Peninsula “Birdathon” this past weekend. I found out about the event by visiting Ethan’s Facebook page and was interested to learn more about it. For those who do not know Ethan, he is a professional photographer specializing in outdoor and nature shooting. Since 2004, Ethan and gang have undertaken “The Birdathon:” an attempt to count as many birds as possible based on sightings and songs. The Birdathon begins in the wee hours of the morning and lasts 18 hours! The group traveled from Owen Sound to Tobermory and back along the Huron shoreline ending in Owen Sound.

    This year the group recorded 152 different species. This number is down from the average of 161 per year. On a special note, this latest adventure in birding brought the group their first sightings of an American White Pelican. A trio of these large birds was spotted by the group in the sky over Tobermory just prior to sunset on the 21st. Ethan sent along a spreadsheet upon my request for information and the species count over the past 9 years is astonishing, a true testament to the ample birding opportunities that the Peninsula produces. For more info log onto to Ethan’s website at www.ethanmeleg.com.
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