turkeyfeathers

Nice job Wooly. Stopped on the way home from turkey hunting last year to save one. It was strattling the double yellow lines like grinners never make it farther than. He had moss and leaves all over his shell. Quite the camo but boy did he stink !

Regarding staged: Did you catch the episode of Life Below Zero of the guy heading out on his snowmobile with an AR platform, two shots at wolves with AR , they pan to wolves running and all of a sudden he's shooting a bolt action? My 11 year old daughter even picked up on it. They even show him walking with only the AR

Mine goes on my backpack as well. I have all my back tags in there from every year.

nicely done. congrats

Was there in '09. Amazing place. Talkeetna, Anchorage and long road trips around. Dream would be to live there and get the heck out of NY but as others have stated. Friends and family would be missed. We'll get back there someday I'm sure. If you have a great opportunity I say go for it. We watch all the lousy AK tv shows just to see the scenery.....incredible.

Text from brother in 8G Stealth tom and 3 mistresses in tow came in behind him. This bird hasn't gobbled in 3 days. To crows, pileated nor him or on roost. He's going to imploy the drone soon Dang tight lipped birds

Congrats Nice bird .Way to wind up the season IMO beard length has nothing to do about "trophy" birds nor age. Older birds don't always have long beards. Spurs now, that's different. So don't beat yourself up about the eyesight

Wasn't able to print the official cards before heading out opening day so I'm unofficial in the contest. However for fun here are both stats: 18.25 pounds 6.5" beard .5 " spurs 19.5 pounds 9.5 " first brush beard 7 " second whisp beard 1 and 3/16ths spurs Just for fun could you score unofficially for me? Thanks

Brother in 8G just text. All quiet out there. Except cuckoos

Some of the worst calling I've ever heard has been by real hens. Cadence , amount of calling , giving Tom what he wants to hear and volume are key I'm not very good on my Lynches foolproof 101 box call I've had for 35 years. Can't seem to quiet my calling down enough with it. Tried tissue stuffed in it, no go. When people say call quiet: cut the volume in half of what you think quiet really is. I called at bird yesterday that was 300 yards out and thought no way he's hearing me. But pow he'd cut me off on my call. Volume is why windy days are tough. Call too soft in the wind and nobody hears you. Call to loud and bird is down wind and you blow him out of the woods. I can hear birds gobbling on other mountain from atop of the one I sit on. Guessing its a easy 1.5 miles . Earlier I had gobbler strutting in field 125 yards out right in front of us. Wind was blowing hard. Could see him but not hear him at all. Concur on the scratching. If he's inside 100 yards. Put the call down, he's already looking for you. Three series scratch in the leaves should seal the deal.

Yes, pics are in Nemisis bird thread

Lol. I'm always afraid when they're in close to make eye contact. Glad you've found a new passion that so many enjoy but yet so few. It's about the memories and experience you've built, bird or not. Glad you see that as a rookie.

Lol. I'm always afraid when they're in close to make eye contact. Glad you've found a new passion that so many enjoy but yet so few. It's about the memories and experience you've built, bird or not. Glad you see that as a rookie.

34NY. Gets your heart pumping doesn't it ? You have a few days to connect on old wise Tom. Good luck but enjoy it regardless if you take a bird or not

Touched off a 3.5" heavi mag blend today from my 1187 on a bird. Never felt it. 39 yards with bottom of my pattern. Not a pellet in either breast. Crumpled him.

My first double bearded bird too. His chest feathers were gone on a decent sized area from strutting and his wing tips worn down. A true warrior and king

7 th day hunting. Killed a 2 yr old opening day. Hunted 3 days with 11 yr old daughter in tow. Hunted Monday Tuesday and today solo. Really wish she could have been there today. Got up at 3 am , made my hour drive dodging deer and critters as usual. Climbed ball breaker mountain and sitting by 4:45. Bird gobbles right where he should as has for years at about 5:45. Does his usual little head east for a little bit, comes back and ends up where he started. I 3 note yelp, and soft. He's about 300 yards out. Immediately rips. Let him gobble a few more times. 2 soft purrs, hits me again. Can tell he's facing me now and on a string. Wait a few more gobbles, three note yelp with a purr, cuts off my call. He's now inside 150 and hammering. I threw him one last purr on the side of my leg. Of course I'm facing the wrong way. I'm covering the field but he's coming hardwoods. I can see him strutting and his multicolored head at 100 yards thru the trees. As he goes behind a few trees I slowly adjust( I'm a right handed shot) and scratch in the leaves behind me with my foot knowing I'm going to make a little noise and why not sound like a hen scratching while doing it. He's at about 40 yards. Heard my scratching, I've got the 1187 shouldered against my tree. As he heard me scratch he let her rip, comes out of strut and is looking for this so called hen he desires. Circle x on his noggin I squeezed off my shot. The payload of heavi mag blends smashed him hard. Barely any flapping as I run out to him. 39 yards. This is my brothers property which is for sale and may be the last time I get to hunt it. Think it's the 9th or 10th bird I've taken from sitting next to that same tree. After tagging the bird I sat in the woods for a good half hour pondering life, about how I just took the life of the King bird, and soaking everything in. I feel like I knew I would by finally getting him today after many close calls over the years. Happy and sad.

I just smoked my nemesis bird. Huge hooks. Pics in a bit.

9h here. Gorgeous last morning for me. 5:30 and waiting on first gobble

Lawdwaz, Exactly !! Actually watched a Turkey Thugs episode the other night. They all were asked if there was ever a bird they couldn't kill and simply gave up on. They all commented "yes" Mind you I don't have anywhere the experience nor turkeys these guys do but I'm not giving up on this one. This bird has given me so many memories that I'll actually feel sad and happy at the same time if I finally tip him over

not denying that at all ,lol hopefully mag blends are faster than him tomorrow. With my luck he'll be wearing a kevlar helmet

IMO if you were calling at him when he was inside 75 yards with a box call he pegged you. I usually won't call when he's that close. Box calls are difficult for me to quiet down. I may soft purr on my slate around the side of my leg if he's hanging up. or scratch in the leaves a bit I've had birds ripping Sunday thru Tuesday. Just some run of bad luck and didn't connect. Your bird hammering at 9 o clock is probably looking for more hens as his may have gone back to nest. Perfect opportunity for you. Congrats on the Benelli What tube and loads worked the best after patterning it ?

That's what friends are for .

Why the low recoil? You''l never feel the stouter load when you pull the trigger on a bird. Now paper....that's another story

So tomorrow is my last hurrah at a bird that's been taunting me for years. Definitely the head honcho of the woods. In the last few years I've almost killed him numerous times Had him coming hard double gobbling along with a 2 yr old. The 2 yr old beat him to me. 2 yr old went quiet (tired of getting his butt whooped I'm sure) and snuck in behind me and all I heard was him puff up and then alarm putt. Big boy was soon not closing the last 100 yards to me. I smoked the 2 yr old days later that strutted to my deke without a gobble. Had him "almost" crest the knoll at 15 yards from me. All I could see was top of tail and half his head. I should have scratched in the leaves to get him to come up the last few feet. Had him coming until I looked at watch 11:45 and no time for him to close the gap. Snuck out of the woods. Had him at 70 yards with a hen for an hour. He had two options. Come right by us or enter the woods. He chose enter the woods as my deke wouldn't walk to him as he had closed the gap for her already. Busted me relieving myself of Tim Horton's coffee as he came in silent (same day as above) Had other birds ripping off aways so I figured it was a safe time to pee, not ! After gobbling 93 times on roost I had him coming an hour later. See his head popping thru the field. He gets to about 100 yards and stops gobbling. I only soft purred once he was inside 150. Thru the brambles I can't see him. Poof he disappears. When it's time to get out of the woods I walk out to my DSD hen decoy. "What the heck" The DSD index card that was in camo bag had gotten wet and completely wrapped around her head. It looked like she was wearing a babushka. I couldn't have purposefully wrapped her up any better. Looked like she was ready to go play bingo in Cheektowaga. I literally laughed. Yesterday the yotes were directly where he has been roosting at 5 am. About 150 yards from me. I can't get any closer as it's posted. He eventually starts ripping at 8:30 or so. Never heard him fly down. I know his patterns and know he'll end up coming my way. He committed and he's coming. Gun up and figure he should be 125 or so and it starts pouring and it's completely sunny out. He shuts down not to be heard from again. Maybe tomorrow is my day