Come on guys, who's been out on the birds?

Got one the morning in NY. Will try for acCT birds this week.

I whacked 2 here in FL including a really big one. Then I went to TX. I killed an absolute giant.

I want to go hunt Merriams but I am too busy.

Didn't shoot biggest one I have seen this year----he was strutting 30 yards from my front porch--

so I just watched and drank coffee--


some times life is good.

A client of mine on a hunt last weekend took this tom. I didn't measure the beard, but it was probably about 9" with 1.25" spurs. That's a nice mature tom for this area.



Believe it or not we stalked to within 5 yards of this tom. He thought he was hidden in the tall grass and let us sneak right up on him. As we kept getting closer the client didn't believe me that the tom was still there. I couldn't still see him... but I didn't see him sneak out either so we kept stalking and I wasn't going to give up until we stood on the spot where I last saw the tom hunker-down. He "flushed" like a speeding ostrich. I've never seen anything quite like it so it makes me wonder how often we walk past hiding toms. It was a really fun hunt.

Here's my 9 year-old grandson with his first turkey a couple of weeks ago. He shot it at about 80 yards with a Sako M78 .22 Hornet. Beard was 10 inches.

I killed a merriams this weekend here in Colorado. 7" beard & 3/4" spurs---probably a 2 year old. Wet weekend---snowed or rained both days.

I killed a public land 21 pound brute here in Southeast Missouri a couple weeks ago

Nice thick double beard.....10" x 8"

Long spur was sharp and 1 3/16"

Short spur was 1 1/8" and worn

He answered a single call at about 11am and got a face full of #4 from my old rusty Mossberg

My friend took his young nephew out on my property opening week, and got a 23 1/2 lb bird, 10 1/2" beard. I don't hunt them here, so I've got some real bruisers.

Nice guys!

Keep going 3 weeks left, here in NE

Yes, we have them here in So. CA! This is my first and I took it at about 40' after 45 minutes of calling. A very exciting hunt and I'm already anxiously waiting for next spring!

Pulicords, that is a great picture. Nice bird.

Great looking birds, Congratulations to all.

Got this jake in PA on a 15 minute hunt. I was home at lunch to let my dogs out, and heard gobbling in the field behind my house. Put the dogs away, grabbed my stuff, and walked out close to the field edge. I sat down and called a few times, and shot the first bird that came in range. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

Dan

Beautiful bird in that picture Pulicords posted! I finally got my MI Eastern last Wednesday after the toughest season I think I've ever had. It was the biggest of two Jakes that came in silent in the first fifteen minutes after I went out the middle of the morning and was the biggest Jake I've ever seen. I've already eaten the legs and thighs after crock potting them a 1/2 day in mushroom soup. The breasts were frozen in 4 ziplock bags and will be cooked in hot oil for meals later in the year.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I whacked 2 here in FL including a really big one. Then I went to TX. I killed an absolute giant.

I want to go hunt Merriams but I am too busy.

What's a giant? Over 28# and 2" spurs?

quote:

Originally posted by Norton:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I whacked 2 here in FL including a really big one. Then I went to TX. I killed an absolute giant.

I want to go hunt Merriams but I am too busy.

What's a giant? Over 28# and 2" spurs?

Up here in MI I would say a longbeard over 10" with 1 1/2" spurs and over about 23-24 pounds is a considered a very good bird. Their beards just don't get much longer that that or they will drag the ground and wear themselves down.

I agree

10" at 22/23 lbs is a real thumper here in Southern Missouri