RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Hi All
Really like the whole background check thing we got goin on, good way to get to know all of you!
I'm 31 yrs old, born and raised in Flint, Mi. Moved to the woods of northeast Mi in 2001. Been hunting since the age of 12, turkey for about 8 yrs now. Taken only four myself and called in another 4 for others. So I still consider myself very much a rookie! I have been successful the past 4 yrs in a row and hoping to make it 5. Got a couple spots that have been very reliable for me lately. My biggest bird is the one on page 3 of the post, 10.75 beard. Been watching some that are at least that big if not bigger so I really hope I can help the team out and put up some respectable numbers! Good luck to all, so far it looks like mud and corn will be our first hunter so GO GET EM GUYS!!!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Mud checking in here. I am 33 yrs old have a wife and 2 kids. Been hunting since i can remember.[8D] Passed my hunters saftey when i was 7 yrs old.
I have never turkey hunted before now. I have been a small game and bird hunter and deer ocasionly.I took 10 years off from hunting when my son was born and just got back into it 2 yrs ago. Looking forward to my new addiction known as turkey hunting. Hope we all have a fun and safe successful season.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Looks like we have a pretty decent Team and I'm lookin' forward to gettin' to know more of you folks as the season progresses. :)

My name's Bryan and I'm 35 years old, married with 3 kids (ages 8, 9 and 13) whom all hunt for both deer and turkey. We liveand huntin Fulton county, right here in the game rich West-Central Illinois region. I've hunted deer here for over 20+ years but turkey have only been reintroduced over the last 12 to 15 years in the areas that I hunt... but I've been after 'em since the begining. I've been pretty fortunate in the woods overthe yearsto have tagged nearly 100 whitetails (mostly with bow), including numerous trophy classbucks that score from 130" to 175" and over 20 mature Gobblers with bow and shotgun. I seem to spend more time guiding others to their trophies over the last few years but I've found it very enjoyable even thogh I seem to get less and less time to hunt myself. My favorite huntin' "buddies" these days are my own children. My Daughter has already taken some impressive trophy bucks and turkey and is becoming an accomplished sportswoman and a very young age. My sons just had their first deer season this past Fall and are looking forward to their first Turkey season this Spring. I've also very fortunate to work with a handful of companies in the capacity of "Pro Staffer" and get the chance to test and evaluate some some pretty cool gear over the years. Bottomline.... we are certainly a hunting family and enjoy every aspect of the sport, from tending to our own property.... from foodplots to habitat management to checking trail cams,.... to helping others enjoy and love the outdoors as much as we do.

Some of my better birds, up 26 1/2 lbs

My best bird to date... and he was taken with a bow which made it that much sweeter! :)


My'07 Gobbler, taken the last day ofmy season.


Last years longbeards



My favorite huntin' buddy.... shes got potential. ;):D



She's as deadly with her turkey gun as she is with her muzzleloader barrel!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

WOW Corn!! great pics, Thanks for sharing! Looks like your gonna be one of our heavy hitters! Can't wait to see what ya come up with this year! Good Luck!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

How do you like that Reconyx? I just bought a Cuddeback. I think i'm going to save up for a reconyx for my next cam

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

My name is Tom, i'm 26 years old. I am married and have an 11 month old daughter. I'm a firefighter/Emt on a volunteer service, for my real job I am a Emergency Medical dispatcher, we dispatch ambulances out of 11 cities and 4 helicopters throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. I've been hunting since the age of 12, mostly deer with shotgun and archery. I have 2 bucks right at the 140 mark and my goal is to out do them. Ive been turkey hunting since i was 18, my largest turkey so far was 23 lbs, 9 inch beard, 3/4 spurs. Good to meet everyone.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Well my name is Ruth, 26 y/o. Been hunting for about 11 years. Homeschooled my whole school age years then college for 4 years, got a B.S. in Outdoor Education/Camp Administration, and now I will soon graduate come may, hopefully,lol, with an AAS in Nursing then take my state boards to become an RN. During the last couple summers I worked as a camp counselor at an Enviromental Ed. camp run by the NY State Dept. of Env. Conservation and hopefully this year will be the camp nurse. I've never hunted out of state but hope to at some point. Love shed hunting, fishing,hiking, backpacking (I've hiked 3 of the peaks in the Adirondacks including the highest, Mt. Marcy, twice). Live with my family, we have horses, ducks, chickens, rabbits, couple dogs and cats.

2008 state landturkey:


2008 archery buck:


What I do this time of year:


And of course I love to hunt them, as frustrating as they can be:

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

thanks for the info on all of u.I willdig and look for some picts but dont think i have many .They were on the old comp that crashed.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

MY name is Tyler, i'm 19 years old and live in maryland. I'm a longshoreman at the port of Baltimore, loading and unloading frieght from ships, tractors containers cars etc. I've been hunting since i was 12 mostly deer. I got into turkey 3 years ago and have bagged 2 and called 3 in for others. Along with huntingIdo alot of fishing, everything from panfish tofishing for tuna whenever we get achance and a break in the weatherduring the summerand i help run crab pots.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Here are some pictures form target practice today .

my home made ground blind

my target range 20 yrds

first ,and second shots
shooting my jennings buckmaster 2000 at 65 lbs and 30 in draw.
I know the draw is way long butI think I've made it work for now [X(]

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Awesome, looks like Team Full Strut is ready to smash some Gobblers! :)

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

I will be taking my gun for the first one and then try the bow for a second i scouted 4 places tonight in nc but no turkeys[:o]I will try againon monday morn to see if i can here them in the valley. still have 3 weeks

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Hello all, im 21 yrs old, been turkey hunting for 6? years now. hunting all over central new york. have been very fortunate to tag out in each of my last 4 seasons, while calling in a few birds for buddies of mine. I absolutely love spring turkey hunting and am looking forward to another safe and successful year. Although, I have yet to see a strutter in NY! did see one in PA this morning though:)

shooting a mossberg 835 and possibly bow hunting as well, depending on how brave i get :D

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Hi all
I'm a little worried about my turkey numbers!! Ive got a group of about 20 birds in my one spot, four nice toms in it. I'm sure its the same 4 toms i've been watchin since the end of feb. But thats it!!! no birds anywhere near any of my other spots. Besides myself I have 4 others that I have to try and get birds for, two of those four have never shot a bird, my original plan, befor joining this contest was to sit back and let these other guys get em first this year. Now I don't know what to do, find more birds I guess! About ready to start knocking on doors!!! Our daycare lady lives on 40 acres that is full of birds, think they are kind of like pets to em though, still might have to go over there and give em my sob story :(just to see what they say!! But then again, I guess I still have 4 weeks to go and alot can change between now and then. Good luck everybody and I'll keep searchin!!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Hi team I have been out scouting the last 2 days only found 1 bird [:o]and he gobbled this am:). It is starting to look better the closer the season gets.I hope everyone is doing good and is ready to put a stop to those strutting birds:D.
they chanded the rules i see if u dont remember to take a picture of the tape measure that is ok.We still need u the gun/ bowand the turkey and a date of kill for it to be leagle gl 2 all.
hunt hard and safe

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

here is my gun 1979 mossberg 500 20 ga 3in chamber 28 in barrel fixed full choke ill be shooting rem. nitro turkey3in #5 shot

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

25 days to go!!! its never gonna get here!! bored, so decided to post some more pics

last yrs bird





my 8 from07


couple trail cam pics from last week

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

WOW, that's some ol' school gear there bud! [:-]Just don't see many turkey hunters carrying those ol' dudes around these days. Heck that ol' gun is actually older than over half our TEAM!!! :D:)

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

LOL its deffinately fed my family well over its 30 years.
Mom used it for many different game birds over the years.
And i hope to continue to do the same for many years to come. Here is a picture of mom from around 1983

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

heres my new to me hunting rig 1995 ford E350
1 ton 15 passanger club wagon van it has 384,300 miles

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Man, thats pretty coolthat you have photos like that of your family's love of hunting and the shooting sports! Congrats and thanks for sharing the pix with us. My mother, wife and every other woman in my family could really careless about hunting..... with the exception of my Daughter. It's kinda cool to see some girl power git-it-dunout there, once in awhile! :D

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

This is gona be our team score post.
I will keep this edited when we score!!!!

mudchicken1012-0

MDManic -0

tca126 -0

nwm10 -0

FF/emt +57.50

kybowhunter08+ 33.00

Huntinlady+ 53.50

j76 + 49.25

greenmachine -0

Il-cornfed -0

turkeygirl2 - 0

Teame #23 Total score =193.25

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Somestrange weather here last night in central IL ?!? We got about 3" of snow.... glad it won't stick around, our Youth Turkey Season opens next weekend! :(

We just got home but seen about 20 birds off the side of the road feeding. 2of the hens crossed the road in front of us, it's just nice to see birds and it only helps to get us that much more pumped up about the upcoming season!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Needs camo'd, a brush gaurd, warn winch, and newtires and wheels.... then she'll bea "Huntin' ride"! lol ! :D

You just gonna throw deer and game in the back ofthat vanor use a trailer?

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

I willjust throw them in it. Its a 5 seater now so i have a 8 x 4 x 4 cargo space open in it .:):):)Lots of room for game and equipment in it;).

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

very nice mud. I went away this weekend to my buddies property in PA, got my new turkey gun patterned... didn't have anything to take pictures but she's a 870 sps thumbhole turkey with the indian creek black diamond choke... 30 yards i put 225 pellets in a ten inch circle and 40 i put 163.hevi 13 6 shot 3 inch 2 oz had nearly identical results with the 3.5 6 shot 2 1/4 oz... i can't wait, 19 days:)

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

greenmachineit sounds like you have an awesome shootin' turkey gun! Ya just gotta love that Black Diamond Strike choke.... they are incredible, especiallywith Hevi-Shot! [:-]

Best of luck to ya this Spring!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

IL-Cornfed, i love it... very happy.... i took a leap of faith with the black diamond stricke baised on others results and luckily my gun and the hevi shot loved it:) now i just gotta talk mr. longbeard into my comfortable range.... it's almost here and it can't come fast enough

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

So anyone got any birds picked out yet? I haven't really started scouting....haven't seen many out in the fields yet even driving back and forth to college. I'm hoping there are some birds that come out and hang over on the land I hunt right here by home so I don't have to go over to the state land but if I have to, oh well. There's a field that a farmerh as been spreading manure in, haven't seen any birds in it yet, but once they find it, hopefully there will be a gobbler to spot. All I know is I hope birds gobble better this year than last...I went almost 2 weeks until I heard my first gobbler last year when the season started.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Well, I am getting real excited... the youth season is all most upon us over here it is the 10th-12th we will be taken our boy out that weekend I hope the weather will take a turn for the better. I have a couple of spots picked out not sure if the birds will work with us? Its HUNTIN... I have seen in one of our spots, at least 4 good toms in a bunch that would be takers. We will see? I think some of the team is going to be getting started real soon.Good luck to my team this year!!! I cant wait to go and hear the turkeys gobble... Oh what fun

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Well team it looks as I will be starting things off for the team. Apr. 11 cant get here soon enough. [8D]I have seen only one tom out durring scoutingbut he is a nice one:) im all ready to start gl to us all.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

I'm gettin' pretty excited to see how the birds will respond tothe DSD hen I've added to my bag of tricks this season? A couple pix i snapped this morning....

.... she sure looks sexy! :D



.... at ANY distance!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Hi all Ispent today practicing my calls and playing with my daughter.
droped somthing,and when i went to pick it up i saw this in the grass


when i looked closer i noticed it wasnt a 4 leaf but a 5 leaf clover:)
put it away and then shot my bow for a few here is my grouping from 20 yrds
this is a 6 arrow group

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Today was the Youth season, here in Illinois, and my Daughter put it all together for a beautiful Gobbler this morning!

He weighed 24 lbs, had a 10 3/4" beard and had 1 1/4" spurs..... I told her it may be awhile before she tops this one! :D

The Tom must have gobbled atleast 200 times before closing the distance to only 8 yards! We used a Wood Haven Cherry Classic Crystal to call the bird in and our decoys were the Dave Smith Decoys (DSD) hen and the Pretty Boy Peep'n Tom. Man, what a morning and I couldn't be ore proud of her! :)

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

congrats to the little lady on a giant gobbler IL-Cornfed.
Uhave such a beautiful daughter and now have one more lifetime memory
with her.congrats again

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Congrats to the little one,nothing better that getting a turkey that's almost as big as you are.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Cornfed, I was just looking at NWTF's website and according to their records this bird would put her in 1st for a bird taken by a female in illinois. You should see about sending it in to the books. That would be neat for her!

If I added your score right that bird is a 69.5 typical Eastern. The #1 score right now is only 66.

http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/turkey_records.php

Check it out. Again, congrats.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

Congrats to your daughter Cornfed! What a Monster!!! You gotta be one proud Daddy!!! Would be very cool if thats a record bird! Good luck with the rest of your season.

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

I know, we seen that to. The bad news is that the N.W.T.Fstates thatyou need a certified receipt from an officially certifiedscale for a Eastern weighing over 22#. We didn't even know where we would get something like that? [&:]I know I couldn't just walk into the local Hy-vee with a dead turkey and ask the meat department to give mea weight. :DEither way, it's a dandy bird and one I'm sure she will remember for a long, long time. It was cool that our local paper contacted us and wanted a photo and some stats as well. She would be tickled to death if she seen her bird pic in the paper. :)

Thanks for the congrats guys. I'm just as proud that she actually enjoys hunting with her Dad, despite the fact that it certainly doesn't seem to be a popular practice today with kids, especially with 13 year old girls!

RE: TEAM #23 - New - need 2 more tho
 

4 days left till my opener and its snowing here in western nc lol.
was going to go scout today ,but my clutch master went out in the car so played mechanic all day fixing things.Good thing cause i cant sit still right now too amped up and ready to go[8D].
Good Luck to Team 23 FULL STRUT ready to put us on the board.