OOD 2021 BIG GOBBLER FUN CONTEST - Leaderboard - Post Scores & Pics here

i actually tagged out on the 15th but have been busy so uploading now.

particularly proud of this one. i was after this guy all season and he was tricky. i hunted him probably close to 10 times and each time was basically the same. gobble ok to good on the roost then shut up on the ground. if he did gobble it was at live hens only, believe me, i called aggressive, passive, owl, coyote, crow but unless it was a live hen, he wasn't answering. very frustrating. so on the 15th i go to my usual listening spot as he can be roosted literally anywhere in this forest but he chose the top of a ridge i was familiar with which dropped off into a lower elevation bowl. he gobbled good on the roost and once i heard his gobble noticably change, i made my move. they flew down into the bowl, so i hastily moved to the top of the ridge and started to work down the spine. as i was standing and listening, i heard rustling in the leaves and knew turkeys were close. then i hear the drumming so i sit down and shut up and adjust my set up around the tree to the spot i hear it. the drumming was almost constant, every 10s but as it went on i started to second guess where he was so i shifted back around the tree to my original spot. as the drumming got closer it sounded like it was coming from everywhere so i kept moving my set up back and forth until i finally spotted the fan coming to my left. i swung over and a few seconds later when he cleared the trees i dropped him at 25yds. not one single call made that day. this hunt was just knowing the terrain and getting in his bubble. i have no doubt my constant shifting in the leaves made him come have a peak as i sounded like a turkey scratching. not the biggest Tom but he was a slickster. actually felt a little sad after that our cat and mouse game was over.

beard 8.5"
Spur 11/16"

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Your hard work paid off. The scratching in the leaves I believe too is the reason he came to look. Congrats to a bitter sweet ending

Well I got out this morning, there was some gobbling way off to the east. I was sitting on edge of field, saw nothing for over an hour decided I should stand up and have a look down the field, nothing to the west, but there were birds in the field to the east about 200yd. I watched for awhile they didn't seem to be moving so I got back in the bush and moved a 100yd towards them. Came back out to edge and they were about 200yd away still so they were moving east. I moved another 60yd while staying behind a big tree and a bush that was out a bit. I got the binoculars out to check them out. 3 normal hens, 2 toms and a big bearded hen. I watched for awhile and then the bearded hen and one of the Tom's started to come my way, so I sat down with the tree and bush between us. They kept coming and the others stayed behind they were about 20yds out in the field. They kept coming and I could see both birds had big full beards even the hen. So when they went behind tree, gun came up and safety off. I had no cover in front of me but that was ok as I was going to take the 1st bird to clear the bush. NOTE. always make sure of beard. I could see their legs coming got ready, but they were really close. 1st bird clears bush no beard, 2nd bird clears bush no beard and are both about 10ft away. They see me and start putting and run back the way they came, but stop where I can see their legs. They come back, this time one hen has a stubby beard. So I put gun on it and think do I want to shoot the hen. I have no problem shooting a hen with a beard, but do I want too. While I'm pointing the gun on her I decide to give it a pass, then another bird comes out dragging a beard, 10ft away. I lower to aim at this one, pull the trigger and miss. Another one comes running past about 25yds out heading west, I let him have it and he drops[IMG]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...797cbaf53b.jpg
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1.25" spurs
11.5" beard
21lb

Now I will try to add pictures. Having issues I will ask for help to post pictures

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sabmgb

Well I got out this morning, there was some gobbling way off to the east. I was sitting on edge of field, saw nothing for over an hour decided I should stand up and have a look down the field, nothing to the west, but there were birds in the field to the east about 200yd. I watched for awhile they didn't seem to be moving so I got back in the bush and moved a 100yd towards them. Came back out to edge and they were about 200yd away still so they were moving east. I moved another 60yd while staying behind a big tree and a bush that was out a bit. I got the binoculars out to check them out. 3 normal hens, 2 toms and a big bearded hen. I watched for awhile and then the bearded hen and one of the Tom's started to come my way, so I sat down with the tree and bush between us. They kept coming and the others stayed behind they were about 20yds out in the field. They kept coming and I could see both birds had big full beards even the hen. So when they went behind tree, gun came up and safety off. I had no cover in front of me but that was ok as I was going to take the 1st bird to clear the bush. NOTE. always make sure of beard. I could see their legs coming got ready, but they were really close. 1st bird clears bush no beard, 2nd bird clears bush no beard and are both about 10ft away. They see me and start putting and run back the way they came, but stop where I can see their legs. They come back, this time one hen has a stubby beard. So I put gun on it and think do I want to shoot the hen. I have no problem shooting a hen with a beard, but do I want too. While I'm pointing the gun on her I decide to give it a pass, then another bird comes out dragging a beard, 10ft away. I lower to aim at this one, pull the trigger and miss. Another one comes running past about 25yds out heading west, I let him have it and he drops[IMG]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...797cbaf53b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b89c55fb76.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dc3443ded9.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7f948754d9.jpg

1.25" spurs
11.5" beard
21lb

Now I will try to add pictures. Having issues I will ask for help to post pictures

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Great bird ... congrats !!

Great bird sabmgb! Moves you into second place, with only 2 days to go.....
Updated Leaderboard

Top 10:
1 genec 49
2 sabmgb 48
3 tom gobble 46
lenny 46
4 TurkeyWes 45
5 outdoorlife 44.75
6 genec 43.625
7 Eddy22 43.25
8 Onelessarrow 40.25
9 Onelessarrow 39.5
10 CD94 37.75


Two Bird Totals:
1 genec 92.625
2 onelessarrow 79.75
3 Lenny 79
4 CD94 75
5 TurkeyWes 64.5
6 tom gobble 46

Not a big bird but tagged out, Jake season for Dad, got TurkeyWes on a big boy on the opener then the huntable big boys went Houdini, loads of Jake’s, well, minus 2 now...tough season for us, having to work our properties with other hunters added to the issues, and only going on weekend as the boy couldn’t miss any online school, bugs got bad, missing it already though, glad we have a fall season here...great birds online here, congrats to everyone!!

TurkeyJohn out!!!

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Nice bird John congrats

Congrates to everyone on their birds and awesome tales on how they got them.
Congrates Genec and sabmgb on your wallhangers, way to go.

Thanks Lenny for running the contest again.

Was awesome to see some monster birds up here and thanks again Lenny for running this....gives us all a little extra incentive to hit the woods that early every morning, like we needed more anyway.....Congrats to everyone who harvested a bird regardless of the size, some great stories and memories made....thanks for sharing,

TurkeyJohn