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The Leaderboard will be periodically updated, showing the standing over the 5 week season.
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Post your story, pics and measurements here
The Leaderboard will be periodically updated, showing the standing over the 5 week season.
With the rain and cold weather they were forecasting yesterday didn't think it would be a good morning but I went out anyways.
Got to the farm at 5:30 walked out to my spot and set up the decoys then set myself up on the tree line. Waited till legal shooting to take the gun out and loaded the started soft tree yelps and moments later heard a hen tree yelp waited a few minutes and stared with tree yelps again and got two toms respond on either side of about 40 yds. waited a few more minutes before I started with a couple of hen yelps and the toms went crazy, I stopped calling as they were getting closer first a jake stepped out then two toms and then a hen. Once I saw the hen I thought fore sure the toms would follow her but instead they headed for the decoys strutting all the way in while the jake and hen went to the side. They at the decoys which was 25yds and I took the dominant tom which looked bigger. I had to wait over an hour before I could retrieve the tom as more hens and toms came out all in all there were ten more birds in the field which were two different groups. the tom weighed in at 22-1/4lbs, 9" bird and both spurs are 1".
I have been trying to post the pictures but again says OOD cant upload files
Right on! Congrats on great action.
Nice job articcat!
Congrats nice bird Articcat
Great bird Arcticat… high bar for the rest of us..
TurkeyJohn
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Wow congrats, and thanks for the story behind it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Articcat
sounds like a life lesson. Greed and wanting that shiny chick could get u in trouble lol the jake had the right idea.
Tom #1 down
shotgun
spur 1"
beard 101/4"
40.5
If needed will upload permit later as wiped right now
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Congratulations!
Congrats nice start
Right on !!
TurkeyJohn
Great bird!
Over the years I have tried it all. Roosting birds the night before. Hunting super early. Staying all morning. Going out in the afternoon. Or whenever work allows.
I had pretty much decided these last couple years that I had just as much luck midday, with none of the sleep deprivation. Why get up at dark-thirty? Thought I was getting older and wiser. But there is something magical about the whole early morning process, going through the whole rotation, from nightshift to day, watching the sunrise, listening to the forest come alive, etc - you all know what I mean. So I've been out these last 2 cold mornings, and today seemed like it was going to be the same as yesterday - quiet. No gobbling in the roost. Nothing answering the crow caws, no hens, turkey-silence. Then I hear something coming my way, in the dry leaves, sticking in the shadows. Sun is just peeking over the horizon, I'm just inside the field edge, on the shadow side of a big maple. Out of nowhere, a thunderous gobble. Game on, I nearly jumped out of my boots. Couple hen yelps, and he is coming. Stops and struts about 60 yds out, gobbles his head off. I stay silent and still, in the shade, and he starts working his way around me. Then, in no time, I hear him working behind me. What? Slowly I turn to my right, to stay in the shadow, but now my gun shoulder is folded against the tree - and Im thinking about a left-handed shot. Then he is back where he started - what's going on? This guy is fast. So I slowly scootch back around to the middle, and proceed to have a back and forth with him for the better part of 45 minutes. more noise behind me, and finally 2 deer appear, and watch, mesmerized by my calling. Explains the noises anyway. They finally move off, and the tom seems to melt away with them. I never heard a hen, and got him to come back twice again, and then he left for good. Left at 8am, and went to work.......
Got home just before 6, really nice afternoon, and thought, why not? Went out, called, nothing, got a work call, took it, and Im sitting there, chatting away, when I hear a distant gobble. Quickly get off the phone, start the new conversation, get an answer, look at the time, and its 634pm, not much time. Do my best imitation of a really, really desperate hen, and he comes in, hangs up, and strutts back and forth. Not again! Is this the same wary tom? Doesnt seem to want to walk past a low muddy spot. I check my phone, 10 mins to go, bit more calling, had the gun up a few times, and he finally folds in his wings and starts my way. Stops part way for another strutt, and I take the shot. Look at my phone, and its 6:59......
10" beard, 7/8" spurs, not the big tom I had working this morning, but a nice bird nonetheless!
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/IJGNTqO.jpg[/IMG]
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Unofficial Leaderboard:
1 finsfurfeathers 40.5
2 Articcat 38
3 Lenny 37.5
Talk about last minute. Congrats
Congrats Lenny talk about last minute timing, got to like it
Nice job Lenny and great story. I know what you mean about the morning hunts. There is just something about sitting there waiting for the sun to come up and experiencing everything coming alive around you.
Awesome Lenny, buzzer beater for sure, congrats old buddy!!
TurkeyJohn
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Well, I got it done today in about 15 minutes!
I was wondering around the house this morning trying to figure out what to do today with the wet weather and said to myself “screw it, i’m going to go sit in in my blind.”
Got out of the house at about 9:15 and was set up and in the blind by 9:45.
Waited about 5 minutes and hit the call with a few soft clucks and a purr.
A gobbler sounded off right behind me.
I figured he was close so i gave a few more soft purrs and he came walking right into the decoys.
I made the shot with the crossbow at 20 yards and he went straight down. Game over.
22 lbs, call it 9 3/4” beard although one strand may be 10, and 1 3/16 spurs.
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Nice bird, I think that beard is ten inches for sure. It goes by the longest strand congrats
Congratulations! a very nice bird.
Really nice tom Markster! Great way to turn around a dreary day, for the LEAD!
Unofficial Leaderboard:
1 Markster 48.75
2 finsfurfeathers 40.5
3 Articcat 38
4 Lenny 37.5
Wow great bird WTG Markster
Great bird Markster!!
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Finally on the board, not a monster bird, but grateful for him......
A usually reliable spot, was able to get a new hunter a bird at this spot a couple for days ago, never turkey hunted before....
Was in before dawn, per usual, and first glimpse of trouble was an open gate, typically means cows are in pasturing.....Great, have to watch out for them...
Parked the Jeep and start toting my stuff in....just round the corner and yup, there's the cows, almost to where I want to set up....oh well, there's a ways, as long as they don't come over an lick decoys like they have in the past.....Get set up in my spot and wait.....
Other than the odd cow fart and plop, occasional moo, not much going on, not even the owls were out like the previous morning when I had the newbie out.....So I wait, then the rain starts, but just a passing shower so not drenched so we're still good...
Eventually, light breaks and I start hearing distant gobbles....aways to the east and the west and some way out front from me in the woods a long way back....Well, nuts, did the cows spook the birds? So I sit tight and wait for it to get a bit lighter...Once it does I scratch the old box call a bit just to let them know I'm here and have a sexy decoy out, with some plastic competition too.... The distant gobbles keep happening, but the one out front almost seems louder....Not on top of me, but I think louder.....
So the gobbles quiet down a bit and I'm sitting waiting, I'm half thinking I need to have a pee, but then a close gobble lets go....Wow, he's closer, I scratch a few yelps and he responds....No time to pee....Sit and wait. Didn't have to wait long and there's Tommy coming out of the woods 60 yards out....He spots my decoys and starts moving in....I slowly move the gun up and he doesn't even care, keeps coming....
Once he breaks 40 yards I'm looking for my shot, the cows are off to the left a ways off, there's a cabin that I don't want to shoot windows out, so the window of shooting is closing...He hits 35 yards, give a last gobble, stretching his neck out nicely and I let him have some number 5s..... Bird down, not even a flop....615 am...1st tag punched....
20 1/2 lbs, 8 1/2 inch beard, 7/8 inch spurs, a nice, average bird for the area, but I'm really happy to have him riding in the back of the Jeep with my tag on him...
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Way to go John! Great story and picture!
on a side note, where did you get that turkey spur measuring stick? I have to grab one of those.
oh, and that beard looks to me like 8 3/4.
Nice bird - and with a crossbow. I'm not at that level yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Markster
Even when it's low odds, they are better out in the blind that in the house.
Nice bird John. Congrats.Quote:
Originally Posted by Turkeyjohn
Nice TurkeyJohn congrats
It was a freebie with the GoHuntBirds turkey derby… not sure where Marc got them but a whole lot easier than wrestling a tape measure in close quarters…Quote:
Originally Posted by Markster
Tj
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Nice bird TurkeyJohn congrats.
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spurs 1 inch
beard 6 inches
21 LBS
Finally on the board for the season. Roosted this lone Tom last night and had him down before 6am this morning. He didn’t do exactly what I thought he would but it worked out nonetheless.
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Spurs = 13/16”
Beard = 8 3/4”
Shotgun at 25 yards
Nice bird congrats
Nice bird! Congratulations.
Congrats guys,
Went out this morning to try and fill my 2nd tag after getting close last Saturday.
Beautiful morning to be out early being warm with a nice breeze and was set up by 5:00AM.
Two birds gobbled on the roost before legal time so i waited before making any calls.
once it was legal started calling softly and got an immediate response from 2 different toms.
waited a bit for one of them to show and one did shortly after six and game on, started calling and he came slowly.
I didn't put out the dekes this time as Saturday they were not responding to them, so kept calling softly and he came to about 60 yds and out of nowhere jumps a coyote and he flies off with coyote in pursuit and I thought I was done for the day.
as I was looking at the coyote disappearing in the tree line I see 4 birds in the 2nd field so off I go to see how close I can get to them. I reached the edge where the 2 fields bottle neck and crawl my way closer at the edge of the tree line.
Got to about 70 yds and noticed there were 6 birds with 2 strutters so I begin calling on the pot call but they were henned up.
I waited a for while to see if they would split up and finally the hens walked away feeding in the opposite direction and noticed that the strutters were 2 big jakes one looked really big, so I decided to call aggressively with fighting purrs and they started walking and strutting towards me they got to about 30 yds and I fired and down he went.
Really nice jake at 19lbs, 6" bird and 7/8" spurs.
tried to post the pictures but again not working for me, I sent the pictures to Lenny so he can verify.
Good luck to everyone,
Nice to see a few more birds this week, congrats to all the successful hunters.
Going into the weekend, we have TurkeyJohn, CD94, tracer and Arcticcat added to the board, and Markster still waaay out in front:
All Entries
1 Markster 48.75
2 finsfurfeathers 40.5
3 Turkey John 40
4 Articcat 38
5 Lenny 37.5
6 CD94 33.75
7 tracer 32
8 Articcat 27
Two Bird Totals:
1 Articcat 65
Its not the size of the bird but the magnitude of the show that matters. Putting together the story but for now tagged out for the season. 3" beard, 1/16" spur grand score of 7.25
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nice going guys, my area really down from where it used to be, struggling just to see hens.
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Well I finally got my first turkey this morning.
For 6 days I had been trying to bag a gobbler that was roosting in the south end of the main bush on the family farm,
but could never get him in range.
On Tuesday my cousin came down and we hunted together, and with us team calling he got that gobbler.
So this morning, I went to the east side of the farm and set up along the treeline above the river flats on the edge of a beanfield next to the Grand River.
Had 4 gobblers calling after daybreak - closest was one about 150 yards south of me in the trees, and another about 120 yards north of me in the treeline, but none came out into the field - just 2 hens. The 2 hens fed in the field for about 20 minutes, then wandered off into a hayfield to the south.
After they wandered off, 4 more birds came over a hill in the beanfield about 200 yards to the north, and 3 started fanning - 3 more gobblers! None of these were the birds calling around me!
I made a couple of pairs of calls on my box call, and the biggest bird slowly walked all the way to me, with the other 2 following him - he took about 15 minutes to walk into range - waited till he was about 35 yards out, and bang!
Bird weighed 20 Lbs, 8 Oz.
10 1/4 inch beard (one single strand made it past 10")
biggest spur 1 1/4 inch
Short Spur: 14/16 inch
So many more gobblers in that area of the farm that I’m going to get a second tag.
Gun: 12 Ga Benelli nova
Shell: Winchester Long Beard 3" #6 shot.
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Nice bird Genec congrats
Congratulations Genec. Very nice bird!
good for you and your cousin.
TurkeyWes connects finally this morning…
Poor guy had a bird at opener not fully commit and then a miss a few days later. Between work and training his time in the field has really been limited… lucky for him old Dad keeps scouting…
Got out this morning to a spot where the birds seem to go left when we go right so we decided to split up and even the odds… with a big hill between us, we were both safe and sound looking into a recently cultivated field…
We get set and confirm via text that we were each ready to go… this morning no decoys and no calling as they seem to get hung up by either… with this field, there’s a group of three Tom’s that have run together the last couple of years.. they run other birds off and basically rule the field… there’s another lone Tom that typically runs opposite from wherever they three jokers are and he’s a big bird…
So as dawn approaches the woods erupt and seems birds are all around Wes’ spot… I keep waiting for a bang but none ever comes…things quieten down after 20 minutes at least from what I’m hearing….Wes texts over and advises that the birds had skirted him and snuck behind him into a field that borders a road, no shoot field….
After a while I see the big boy pop out of the tree line above him, he can’t see him, but I give a play by play… he’s got hens and never gets closer than 80 yards to Wes and quietly drifts up and away down the field…
Wes replies back that there’s still birds in the woods and he’s got a hen close…I no sooner get the message but here a boom… Bird down and now only two jokers, they had skirted back and came though the woods to the field…
19 1/2 lbs, 1 inch spurs, 9 1/2 inch beard, a nice bird, and a happy kid…
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Welld done guys congrats
Sorry for late report.
Travelled to Ottawa area for first weekend. Staying at my sister and hunted with three nephews. One of them was his first time. He shot a nice Tom on opening morning and I shot mine shortly after 8 with my other nephew missing one. Second morning the first time nephew shot a Jake and it was exciting for the rest of us as birds were all over but following hens and not getting close to us. Third day was similar with lots of birds but none were coming in to us. Great time with the family. Seen lots of birds and heard lots of gobbling and in my books was a very successful hunt.
My Tom was shot with a Mossberg 935 with Indian Creek Turkey choke with red dot shooting #5 3-1/2” Federal.
Measurements:
8-7/8” Beard
3/4” spur
7/8” spur
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Close up beard measurements
Nice birds guys!
Wow John. The pick of your son Wes holding the bird is a great one! One for the wall for sure.
Thanks Mark, Wes suggested the pose, took photography in high school, couldn’t agree more….hard to believe how big it makes the bird look…Quote:
Originally Posted by Markster
TurkeyJohn
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Congrats guys and nice bird Wes
Seems like you guys had a great time. Congrats on all the birds
Had a gobbler roosted right behind my house last night, but the sound of hard rain on the roof helped me roll over and fall back to sleep this morning.......
Adding Articcat's second bird photos below, and updated leaderboard, with Deer Hunter, TurkeyWes, genec and CD94 all connecting - way to go guys!
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All Entries
1 Markster 47.5
2 genec 45.5
3 finsfurfeathers 40.5
4 Turkey John 40
5 Turkey Wes 39
6 Articcat 38
7 Lenny 37.5
8 Deer Hunter 35.25
9 CD94 33.75
10 tracer 32
Two Bird Totals:
1 Articcat 65
2 finsfurfeathers 48
Let's see some more birds this long weekend - good luck
Thanks for taking care of this Lenny.
:thumbup:
Thanks Lenny,
Tom #2 down yesterday morning. I almost got him Saturday in the rain. Him and 7 jakes were soaking wet out in the field and I called 3 of the jakes into 10 yards but he stayed around 60.
Yesterday morning I was back in the same field and watched the same birds plus a second Tom and a few hens for hours. Eventually they ended up in a spot that allowed me to get behind cover and circle around them and stalk into 30 yards before popping over the fence and shooting the boss Tom. Sometimes when they just won’t come to you you have to go to them.
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Shotgun at 30 yards
Beard = 9 5/16”
Longest Spur = 7/8”
Killer bird…nicely done…
TJ
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Good job congrats, sometimes that’s how it works you have to go to them.
Nicely done CD94.
Nice Bird. Congratulations.
Congrats on your 2nd bird nicely done I got my 2nd bird the same way went to him
Great job filling your second tag! Only 1 week to go, .....
In the home stretch now - last weekend, only a few days to go.......
Made it out this morning, first stand had two toms gobbling in the roost, but they stuck to the pattern and went right to the strutzone they like on the neighbours field. Turns out I had set-up under a tree with racoon on a branch, talking to his buddy, making lots of noise, maybe warning off others. Picked up the decoy and went to another spot I hadn't hunted yet this year. Walked in, mosquitos were now in full force, crossed the marsh, made some hen calls, and got an immediate loud response. Really loud, then motion, and a little sand hill crane "colt" (had to look that up) skitters across the trail, followed by a very vocal mama. Man those things have a unique call. Set up after they cleared out, called some more, mama answered, but so did a tom. He came searching, didnt like being near the crane, hung up for a bit, but the decoy eventually won out and I sealed the deal in the woods under 20 yards with the 870 12ga and a 3.5" Third Degree - jellyhead dead - not a feather missing on this guy, would be the perfect bird to mount (just what I need, another thing not allowed in the house!).
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9.75" beard and 7/8" spurs
Here is an updated leaderboard:
Top Ten
1 Markster 47.5
2 genec 43
3 finsfurfeathers 40.5
4 Turkey Wes 39
5 Articcat 38
6 Lenny 37.5
7 Lenny 37
8 CD94 36.125
9 Deer Hunter 35.25
10 Turkey John 35
Two Bird Totals:
1 Lenny 74.5
2 CD94 69.875
3 Articcat 65
4 finsfurfeathers 48
Good luck over the next 4.5 days
Got me a limb hanger this morning
First spot was a bust, distant gobbles. Moved to second location and did my normal walk top of the hillside making some yelps. No response so I looped around and did the same along the river. About had enough and was on my way to the truck when he sounded off on the other side of the tree line. I tucked in quick and seen him in the field, about 40 yards from my tuck strutting! One light call and he gobbled and strutted his way right into 20 yards. My biggest bird ever. 11.5 beard
1 7/8 spur!
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pics, I was in shock when I saw the hooks
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Unbelievable - Fabulous Tom crayfish! Those aren't spurs, they are daggers! What an absolute monster !
Obviously, we have a new leader!
Top Ten
1 crayfish 60.6
2 Markster 47.5
3 genec 43
4 finsfurfeathers 40.5
5 Turkey Wes 39
6 Articcat 38
7 Lenny 37.5
8 Lenny 37
9 CD94 36.125
10 Deer Hunter 35.25
Two Bird Totals:
1 Lenny 74.5
2 CD94 69.875
3 Articcat 65
4 finsfurfeathers 48
What a Giant congrats Crayfish
Wow crayfish! What a brute. Congrats.
Holy snap crayfish, looks like those monster US birds you see, congrats!!
TJ
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Wow, that bird is huge! Congratulations!
Congrats to Lenny and Crayfish
Crayfish that has to be one of the longest spurs In have ever seen
Thanks guys! He sure did have some talons. It just happened so fast. From the first gobble to shooting was likely under 2 minutes. Gotta love it!
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I wonder how old a bird like that is?
Don’t the spurs grow longer with each year?
Can’t really determine the age with length of spurs. Look at the turkeys that live in the mountains or rocky terrain the spurs are filled down. Then look at the turkeys that live in the swamps they are taller with big hooks and long beards. It’s an adult for sure but who really knows if it’s a 3 year or 4 year old. Either way beauty of a birdQuote:
Originally Posted by Markster
Great bird none the less, a raptor of a tom
Well not going to be a winner but at least I entered a bird.
Got to my spot covering a field just after shooting time. 20min later a couple hens walk out of the bush down 100yds or so to east and head straight to the middle of field then a jake comes out following the hens. They all go about 500yd then turn west past me till they are 500yds past me then start coming to bush. Loss them behind a slight rise, then see them back tracking their previous route, Back past me, I figure they are going to follow same route so I get back in the bush and start keeping up with them. The jake is strutting but hens don't want anything to do with him. They start back to bush so I quickly line up with the jake and move up behind a bush at the edge of the field. He keeps coming and the hens break off. At about 60yds a loss him behind the bush, but figure he is still coming. Taking a long time I'm starting to think he turned back. I finally see him through the bush, took thick to shoot so wait and he steps out bit further and stops. He at 10yds drops right in his tracks. Probably the nicest jake I have gotten. While cleaning him I find 8 copper coloured pellets in his legs and a couple in the back of the breast all just through the skin. Someone must have shot at him at distance and low. I know my pellets wouldn't hit that low from that range and they would have gone through the meat.
beard 5" x 2 = 10
spur 0.5 x 20 =10
So only score 20
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5fef2ee15d.jpg20230531_073507 by steve, on Flickr
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https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f94674493f.jpg20230531_092909 by steve, on Flickr
Nice bird sabmgb! You came in right under the wire as well. Great job!
I think you've won the lanterne rouge award. Way to stick it out. Must of been hot and the bugs awful.
fin it was 20C to start at 530am and the bugs wanted to carry me away, good thing I'm fat and thermacells work really well.
Nice job sabmgb!
Like you, I can never get enough of turkey season. A buddy of mine had only been out once so far this year, has 3 kids at the busy age, blah, blah, blah. Was talking to him yesterday, and he hasnt got a bird in a few years. I said - why don't we go out tomorrow and get it done on the last day? He agreed, came to my house just after 2pm, we went out, walked around, fed the ferocious bugs, sweat our butts off, and called in a nice tom in less than an hour of hunting!
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42 mins to go - get those entries in!
Lenny you a better man than me, I was having a hard time with the heat at 730am it was 20C at 530 and 25C at 8am when I was talking to the landowner, couldn't imagine the afternoon. I was sitting in the barn sweating.
What are friends for?! He even came back to the house and had a beer, great afternoon!
It was 30C with clouds of mosquitos. My neighbour is baling hay this afternoon. I have never been so hot or swarmed while hunting. We slathered on the OFF, and once we sat down and got the Thermcell going it was OK, but going in and out, and moving around calling sure wasn't enjoyable.
I'll wait until tomorrow to make it official, but here are the unofficial results:
Top 10:
1 crayfish 60.5
2 Markster 47.5
3 genec 43
4 finsfurfeathers 40.5
5 Turkey Wes 39
6 fratri 39
7 Articcat 38
8 Lenny 37.5
9 Deer Hunter 35.25
10 Turkey John 35
Two Bird Totals:
1 Lenny 74.5
2 CD94 69.875
3 Articcat 65
4 finsfurfeathers 48
Some interesting stats:
2019 - 42 Contestants, 16 entered at least 1 bird, 5 entered 2 birds
2020 - 45 Contestants, 20 entered at least 1 bird, 7 entered 2 birds
2021 - 39 Contestants, 11 entered at least 1 bird, 8 entered 2 birds
2022 - 24 Contestants, 11 enetered at least 1 bird, 2 entered 2 birds
2023 - 29 Contestants, 13 entered at least 1 bird, 4 entered 2 birds
crayfish's tom has the longest spurs in the history of this contest, and the second longest beard ever entered in the 5 years I have been doing this - congratulations!
Special mention to TurkeyWes - there is nothing better than shooting a bigger bird than your Dad - way to go!!!!!
Don't forget to report, and check back in tomorrow for the "official" results.
Thanks again Lenny for running this and congratulations to everyone that harvested a bird. As for my self this is the second year of eating tag soup and I still can’t find a recipe that will make those tags taste good lol
Congratulations crayfish!
I think we need to name that bird.
yes a special thanks to Lenny, it is a fun contest that takes little work on the hunters part, I'm sure a lot more on Lenny's part. thanks again.
Lenny, I find that walking around with the thermacell running and clipped to my binno straps works while travelling, not 100% like sitting but maybe 60% just a thought, plus as soon as you stop there are no bugs, Like me yesterday when I walked with that jake had zero bugs walking and when I stopped and waited for the shot zero bugs.
Congratulations to all and a special thanks to Lenny again for making this a fun contest
I propose to name Crayfishes' bird "Raptor Tom" considering the length of his spurs
I was thinking “Big Turk” ��
And we are back!
Perhaps we should have another contest to name crayfish's winning bird? I am calling him "The Tominator"
So congrats to crayfish, and everyone else who entered a bird, or got out hunting, or followed along with the contest posts - its all part of the fun.
Two days after the season closes, this guy is putting on a show for hours rights beside my house.......seems to happen every year! Have a great summer everyone.
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/B6OytWA.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/LyDzsQN.jpg[/IMG]
That figures. Its like they know the season is over.
I guess that your target bird for next year Lenny.
Thanks for doing this again Lenny, and congrats to all the hunters that were able to harvest a bird, even better if two.....
Only thing I might add, is that dear old Dad scouts the birds and sets the TurkeyWes on them, I'm more than happy he landed a bigger bird given the miscues we had this year....
Have a great summer everyone, we'll hit the turkey woods in the fall, but nothing beats the spring....
TurkeyJohn