OOD 2023 BIG GOBBLER FUN CONTEST LEADERBOARD - official thread to post your scores and pics

[crayfish]

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!
pics.jpg

[Markster]

I wonder how old a bird like that is?
Don’t the spurs grow longer with each year?

[tom gobble]

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 bird

[Articcat]

Great bird none the less, a raptor of a tom

[sabmgb]

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

20230531_073507 by steve, on Flickr

20230531_092601 by steve, on Flickr

20230531_092707 by steve, on Flickr

20230531_092909 by steve, on Flickr

[Markster]

Nice bird sabmgb! You came in right under the wire as well. Great job!

[finsfurfeathers]

I think you've won the lanterne rouge award. Way to stick it out. Must of been hot and the bugs awful.

[sabmgb]

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.

[Lenny]

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!
[IMG][/IMG]
42 mins to go - get those entries in!

[sabmgb]

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.