New York Opening Weekend Success

TomC · 05-05-2003, 06:58 AM

After two mornings of rain and no success, I had some of the most unusual luck turkey hunting ever in my career (since 1985).
I went scouting Fri. evening only to have my car DIE on the road (it was the alternator). Fortunately, I hitched a ride with a guy coming down the road I knew from town. My girlfriend let me use her car the next AM (BLESS her). I got to my " hot spot" about 5:15 AM--no gobbling, NOTHING! I tried another spot just about 1/4-1/2 mile away and spotted a gobbler partially fanned out in a field. I backed off, moved around to another position, tried a call and got an answer. I made a little move closer and got in a corner of an old stone wall. I had just got there and saw the gobbler coming--I HAD to lay down on my belly right there. To my surprise there were 2 toms on the run right to my position. They both looked mature but one was slightly larger than the other. Since they were moving right to me, I picked the spot where I would pull the trigger (the edge of a shadow of a grop of trees about 30 yards away). As turkey hunting luck usually goes, they both stopped just short of the shadow (maybe about 40 yards--technically in range -but I like them in a little closer for a sure kill). I did not like being in a prone position (not practiced). A hen opened up and both birds started to move in her direction. I decided that this is as close as they were going to come and I had better take a shot. (I have killed gobblers further than they were so I thought I could pull it off) I THOUGHT I had a good sight picture (bead on the middle of his neck). At the shot, he jumped into the air and started running down the length of the field (I MISSED)! Just before both toms got to the end of the field, they both slow to a walk and started gobbling again!!! I was ready to go home ' til this happened. I sneaked around the field and worked a little closer thinking that maybe I could pull off the impossible. The toms had worked their way into the woods and at least one of them was still gobbling. I moved a little closer. I heard a hen yelp (sure that it wasn' t another hunter). The tom gobbled. I yelped as loudly as the hen and when the gobbler answered, he was definitely closer I found a set up where I could sit with my knees up and worked on the tom with some softer calls. Within minutes of sitting, I saw him working the edge coming straight by me! (time elapsed since the miss was about 30 minutes). When he stepped out, all I had to do was wait for a nice clean, open shot. I tracked him with my 10 gauge ' til he stopped and I CAREFULLY squeezed off the shot and down he went! I had to stop twice on the way back to the car just to rest. This bird was HEAVY! His spurs were long, sharp and hooked! And OH, the beard! LONG and THICK! I could hardly wait to get him home for the measurements. I did try hanging from his spurs and indeed he did hang -A LIMBHANGER!! (I always give THANKS by the way)

When I got home, my girlfriend could not believe her eyes. We got the tape measure and scales:

Spurs 1 1/8"

Beard 10 3/4"

Weight 27 lbs.

Thanks for listening everyone :0)

P.S. As a gift of thanks to my girlfriend, I granted her wish to have her nails done this week ;0)

huntnma · 05-05-2003, 07:16 AM

congrats .....you should take that sweet woman of yours hunting instead of her nails getting done, but that was her wish...........fry her up some of tha monster bird you got

snowdog2 · 05-05-2003, 08:39 AM

That' s a Big Bird!! Great story. [8D] cool

maytom · 05-05-2003, 09:52 AM

Awesome trophy gobbler!!! Way to go!!

bhw · 05-05-2003, 08:21 PM

with that weight, that bird will be in the NYS record books,so be sure to check it out!

TomC · 05-06-2003, 06:52 AM

Quote:

with that weight, that bird will be in the NYS record books,so be sure to check it out!

Wow! I didn' t realize that! I have two excellent witnesses too!

I will get started this AM and get back to you!

TomC · 05-06-2003, 08:03 AM

[:' (]--Although I' m not too upset!

After all I DID get a real nice tom that I' ll never forget! But, I ran into a couple of SNAGS!

I' m not a member of the NWTF

I do not have proof that the scales I used are approved by the Dept. of Ag. and NO receipt proving thus.

My bird is cut up and in the FREEZER!

I never wondered for an instant that my bird may have qualified for NYS [

]

I did get photos though (even though I stopped taking pictures of dead turkeys some years back-I thought this bird was exceptional enough to take photos of) and I have a wonderful memory--that' s really ALL I care about.

paul w · 05-07-2003, 03:12 AM

Great story and Excellent Bird!! Congrats!!!