Quest For The Double Grand Slam Bowhunt.
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Part 1:  In Search Of The Florida Osceola
Doug Crabtree and I bowhunted one of the Florida Wildlife Unlimited wild turkey hunting camps near Zolfo Springs, Florida. 

The Equipment We Used
BODOODLE & Timberline Archery Products - Accurate shooting, arrow after arrow, depends on the bow's arrow rest and bowsight. 
Alpine & Barrie Archery - A close look at how Alpine Archery's Fatal Impact and SS Stealth Force and the Barrie Archery Snyper performed during set up and on this hunt.

To Contact the Outfitter For This Hunt:
Florida Wildlife Unlimited, Bobby  Smith, PO Box 2523, Wauchula, Florida  33873, (863) 767-0930

Osceola - Arrival Day March 16
Sunday:  At 10::00 pm we pulled into the Florida Wildlife Unlimited turkey camp in central Florida. Bobby Smith greeted us and took us to our quarters for this week's hunt. Doug Crabtree and I are here to bowhunt for the Osceola wild turkey. It's the hardest turkey to get, but the way I see it, we're the men for the job. Tomorrow morning we are going to BJ's stand. After tomorrow morning's hunt I will update right here. Wish us luck.

Osceola - Day #1 March 17

Day #1: March 17 - Florida is very unique looking, especially compared to the rest of the USA this time of the year. It's very green here and palmettos and big trees full of spanish moss are everywhere. We slipped through the woods and set up our Double Bull ground blind at the edge of a large field. To The pictures and what happened.
Morning Hunt:  The 3 day drive here to Central Florida whipped me and I slept in. Doug Crabtree scouted BJ's stand. He called and a hen entered the nearby field. Doug called again and a gobbler answered. Another gobbler joined in and they started coming closer. Doug pulled out before the birds got there, we're going back tonight. The same scenario happened again at two different places. Things are looking good.

Osceola - Day #2 March 18 - One Minute and 16 Seconds !!!

Day #2: March 18 - Gobble! It was barely audible. Another faint gobble and we moved out as daylight came on slowly. We walked a mile. The gobble was louder now and we heard other birds as well. Doug stopped at a trail crossing under the fence. We slipped under the barbed wire and waded a shallow stream. "Right Here," Doug whispered, TO THE HUNT

Osceola - Day #3: March 19
Doug guided a hunter for Florida Wildlife Unlimited this morning. He called in a longbeard but the fellow's gun jammed and the Tom got away. 
This afternoon Doug and I hunted wild hogs. We saw several distant groups. Finally we spotted some across a 100 yard wide field, just inside the woods. Doug stealthily crossed 75% of the field but had to stop and sit down when 2 hogs entered the field. They rooted around and then proceeded in my direction. I was ready but they turned and walked 50 yards from Doug. At the same time another hog come out of the woods and walked toward Doug. The other 2 hogs picked up Doug's scent. One ran, the other grunted loudly and ran toward Doug, who was ready for a shot at the 3rd hog. When he heard the loud grunts Doug looked and saw the hog coming. He swung his already drawn bow around to shoot. The hog veered off and raced for the woods, as did the 3rd pig.

Osceola - Day #4: Calling The Wild Turkeys In Close

 We parked the truck and walked through the woods to a field at North Bear Hammock. There were already birds in the field. We set up on the woods side, right against the barbed wire fence. Doug reached through the Double Bull blind's windows and set two decoys up arms length away. Meanwhile a strutting gobbler chased after a jake and two hens. (See Pictures.) Then Doug called with clucks. A hen started for us right away and the gobbler followed. (Row 2 of Pictures). One hen was very vocal and Doug made calls that "fussed" with her. The hen came right to the decoys (Last Picture) two arms lengths away from the blind. TO PICS & WHAT HAPPENED

Osceola - Day 5: Wild Hogs In Florida, Close Up ...

Following a rain storm we drove out to hunt and saw wild hogs in an orange grove. Doug (cell) phoned Florida Wildlife Unlimited's  camp to see if we could hunt here, but we couldn't. Hogs in a Florida orange grove!  That is a new one to me and I wanted pictures. So I snuck up on 'em. (In the first pic, as the hogs come into view, you'll see some plastic piping being used.)  I wanted to see if I could get in close enough for a shot. As you see, I did. To Wild Hogs In The Orange Grove.

Osceola - Day 6: The Final Day
Morning Hunt:  This morning Doug Crabtree guided songwriter Mike Mc Bride. Doug is still hot and called in yet another gobbler, a longbeard. Mike bagged the longbeard Tom (10 1/2" beard) with his shotgun at 30 yards.
Afternoon Hunt: Day 6 (Afternoon Hunt):  Back At  North Bear Hammock

We set the Double Bull blind up against the fence at the same place we were on Day 4. An hour passed before we saw the first wild turkey, far away, on the opposite side of the adjacent field. I glassed it and identified it as a hen . Doug called it in (To The Pictures & what  happened.)

February 9, 2003: The Grand Slam Is On For 2003 ...
My cell phone's ID read "Doug Crabtree." I pushed the Talk button, Doug sounded excited, with good reason too. Our plans for a Grand Slam bowhunt in the Spring of 2003 were falling in place. The hunt is going to happen.

1. The Osceola:  On Monday, March 17 we go for the Osceola with Florida Wildlife Unlimited in central Florida. 
2. Rio Grande:  April 5 is the opening day for the Texas season. Doug will be my guest. 
3. The Merriam's:  On April 14 we hunt Merriam's in South Dakota with Double K Guide Service.
4. Eastern:  The Ohio season starts on April 27 and we hunt at one of Doug's turkey haunts.

Sponsors Of The 2003 Quest For The Double Grand Slam With The Bow