How did you get your toughest turkey?How did you figure him out?I'm hoping this part along with the other will help all of us be better turkey hunters this year..

I'll start.

A couple of years ago,I was in a club with a few other guys.I found a bird on the 2nd weekend,and I tried calling to him,but he wouldn't come.I didn't know it at the time,but one of the other guys had shot one gobbler at the same spot opening weekend.SO,he was call shy,and every hen in the woods were going to him.He would answer,but never come,and he would just lose interest,and leave.The second day I decided to go into his strut zone,and wait on him.

I guesstimated where,he liked to strut,and sat down way before light.Daylight came,and there was gobbling.He gobbled,for awhile,and thenI started calling to him.As soon as I started,so did the hens!Dang it.Then he wouldn't even answer me,but when that raspy sick sounding hen would yelp,he would gobble at her.

SO I sat,and waited for him to come to his strut zone.He gobbled about 75yds away,and then one to my right gobbled!I could see the one from the right going to the left.I heard wings flapping,and then silence.15 minutes later gobbling resumed.I called,again he was coming!He got about 65yds,and I could see him,but he hung up.I didn't want to shoot that far.He strutted in place for 25 minutes.He wouldn't even respond when I called,just strut,and drum.Then a couple of jets started coming over,on their way to the bombing range,and after a few passes,he tucked up,and fed off.I came out,and saw one of the other guys,he said you've got one more day then he's mine.Hmmm.I didn't know if he was serious or not,and I didn't know the guy very well,so I knew I had to do something drastic.

Next morning I was in the same place.No gobbling.I was nervous because I thought it may be my last chance,as I would be back to work,and the other guy had the next week off.I sat for1 1/2 hours with nothing.Finally I heard a gobble.I called.Nothing.Called again,1 gobble.In the same place.So I decided to take a chance.I crawled in the direction I heard the last gobble.I was scanning as I crawled,and saw him courting a hen.I sat still.I watched them breed.He was in range...45yds.When she left he went back to strutting on a little hump.Like he was king of the hill.I called one more time,and he marched towards me about 35yds,and I got him.

He weighed 16 lbs,He had a whopping 6 1/2" beard that looked like it had been cut straight across with a pair of scissors,and the sharpest 1 1/16" spurs I have ever seen.I guess all you need to be is fast with a set of sharp spurs to beat everyone up in the turkey world.[8D]Still the toughest turkey I have ever gotten.SO,that's when I learned to make a move in.