2025 BIG GOBBLER FUN CONTEST - Leaderboard

[Lenny]

Nice to see you guys tagging out!

Top 10 Single Birds
1 Lenny 50
2 TurkeyJohn 45
3 sabmgb 42.75
4 CD94 41
5 TheGeet 40
6 sabmgb 35.5
7 Articcat 34
8 TurkeyJohn 31.5

Two Bird Totals:
1 sabmgb 78.25
2 TurkeyJohn 76.5

[Lenny]

Finally got the site happy with my login long enough to post pics!!!

[IM

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[IMG]

[finsfurfeathers]

nice looking pics. Flicker works great on this site. FYI can choose a smaller size (don't mind the bigger pics though as getting old). As far as posting just need to "copy the BBcode" and paste it right into your post A little editing of the code eliminates the digital stuff

[sabmgb]

turkeyjohn, was my best season I have ever had, seen lots of birds and heard lots of gobbles every day I was out. there were some coyote hunters there this winter and took out 4 so maybe that helped.

[sabmgb]

Lenny, that is a great bird,

[CD94]

All tagged out and what an efficient season it was for me. The hunting gods must have been watching me deal with 3 young kids at home all year haha.
2 hunts in 2 different WMU's and 2 toms down. Both hunts were over by 6:15AM. Don't think I will ever duplicate that again but I am not complaining.

9" beard
7/8" spur
20 pounds
Shotgun

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[Articcat]

Sorry guys been busy with an addition to my house and haven't respond
Congrats to everyone so far with really nice toms and especially you Lenny on the tank you harvested great bird

[finsfurfeathers]

So better late than never to the party but finally punched the tag this morning. After quite a few "boring" hunts today was one for the books. Though being able to put your bird to bed is the best approach I have to rely on classic patterns observed through historic interactions. With the forecast of a heavy North west wind planned on the birds favouring a north/south ridge line overlooking a protected south east valley. Getting to my chosen spot in a stealthy manor meant for a longer hike than usual as the short cut through the bush was a no go due to all the fallen branches/trees from the ice storm damage. Stationed myself on top of a finger extending into the field from the ridge line as it traditionally was the cross roads for birds travelling the property. Put out the Avian half strutter and a feeding hen and settled into my turkey lounger and waited for the show. With the first ray of the rising morning had a tom sound off well within range. Let out a soft yelp to let him know where I was which got an immediate response. The tom than continued to sound off with double and triple gobbles to every crow call, goose honk, and duck quack. Time seemed to move very slowly as I waited for him to make his move. Knew game was on when he eventually went quite. Caught sight of him off to my left on the field edge in all his glory. The tom saw the jake decoy but instead of swinging out into the field than coming into the decoys this bugger continued up the field edge almost into my lap before he swung out. Holding down on the bird really felt over gunned with the 12g full choke 3" #5's trusted I knew where my pattern would go and when he held out his neck aimed low and away and flopped him at 10 paces.
Soggy bird but still a nice tom about a 9" beard and incher spurs which though I've taken longer never see ones as thick .
Passed on pictures as it was cold, wet and a soggy tom doesn't make for the prettiest pics.
Now do I get a second tag and go after one of the jakes I played with Friday or call it a season....I let you know tomorrow.

[finsfurfeathers]

So ya while enjoying some turkey tenders logged in an bought my second tag. Knew it wouldn't be anything grandiose as was going after a quartet of Jakes in the morning. Seen these birds on a couple of previous hunts so knew where their roost and strut zones were, which happened to be the same place. Was a prefect time to go after them as wanted to be in and out before the long weekend traffic started to fill in. Played out as expected hoping the gopro caught the action. If you wish watch the vid and come on the hunt with me. So the recording starts with a hen coming down from her roost right behing me. Wished the sound was picked up better as she gave a great lesson on how to call. Reason why I was quiet. Vid could of been 20 min shorter as to the left a hen and 2 sub jakes landed in the field to the left. Knowing there was a least 2 more jakes wanted to wait until the dom bird came out of the forest.
Not a big bird nubs for spurs and a tuft of beard but going to make for some good eats.
Feeling to lazy to post proper pics for the contest but hey Lenny I'll take an honourable mention for a 2 birds season.

[TroutSlayer]

Congrats on a two bird season pal!