2025 BIG GOBBLER FUN CONTEST - Leaderboard
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tom gobble
I managed to get a Tom on May 9th but left the tag at the land owners place and didn’t want to post anything without proof I was legal. This year has been the worst year so far in regards of not hearing or seeing birds anywhere. I’m not sure what’s going on, if winter played a toll or that numbers are just down.
After many days of not hearing or seeing anything my hopes of filling a tag went out the window. I set up before legal light and wait for the morning to start. I’m hearing everything except a turkey lol 30 mins into nothing I hear a faint gobble that was so far away I started to second guess what I was really hearing. After calling and nothing responding I was telling my self maybe it wasn’t a gobble, until a crow sounded off and I hear the same sound. Confirmed it was a male turkey. Another 30 mins goes by and it sounds off again. Now this bird is making its way to me but is at least 300 yards in the bush across two other properties. I can’t go to him and I’m not sure if he’s coming to me because I had one blind spot around a hill I couldn’t see. As another long 15 mins goes by without this bird responding, I’m thinking the Tom is gone. As i’m looking around, I notice this heron near a pond looking towards the blind spot that I couldn’t see, as soon as I went down to grab a call off the ground this bird is running full speed at my set up. I grabbed the Beretta and sent the # 5s his way. Bird down and some relief on what has been one of the worst seasons so far. I understand not seeing birds but not to see or hear anything days of hunting or even driving is not normal. 7/8 spurs and 9 inch to 9 and 1/8th beard you guys be the judge but I don’t really care of the size anyways I was just happy to seal the deal. I’ve been calling for some friends as well and there season is going the same
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Great bird TG, weathered fence makes great backdrop…
I agree on the season, have a few properties that reliably have had birds and none this year…. I know predators play a part, but they’ve always been there… other pressures?? Not sure but I hope it settles down… haven’t seen any poults yet either, but wet spring won’t help…
Going to get another tag? I have a feeling that later season may get good as hens are leaving Toms like Wes’ on Monday, no hens…
TJ
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