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

[Turkeyjohn]

Right on !!

TurkeyJohn

[Markster]

Great bird!

[Lenny]

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!
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[Lenny]

Unofficial Leaderboard:

1 finsfurfeathers 40.5
2 Articcat 38
3 Lenny 37.5

[tom gobble]

Talk about last minute. Congrats

[Articcat]

Congrats Lenny talk about last minute timing, got to like it

[Markster]

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.

[Turkeyjohn]

Awesome Lenny, buzzer beater for sure, congrats old buddy!!

TurkeyJohn


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Markster]

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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[tom gobble]

Nice bird, I think that beard is ten inches for sure. It goes by the longest strand congrats