This is what I do with my beard n spurs now. Just started it this year. I just don't have enough room to hang every fan.

I am ready for Saturday night to find out if we've won.

Been checking out some leads on properties for next year. My buddy says he's found a great location and I may be trying it out. Tag soup just isn't filling.

Phil, I've caped one myself and I like the look. Treat the skin with Borax to keep bugs out. Another look that I like is a fan mounted with the two wings spread and pointed down underneath. Kind of reminds me of the old Journey emblem. I did one like that but it got destroyed. For the most part I don't do anything with my birds anymore except save the wing feathers for arrow feathers. My buddy cuts the spurs off like jepcho described and puts them on a necklace he uses for hunting. The center has his call pouch. A little too tribal for my taste, but he likes it.

They look great! I like that idea.. Only I will hang them off my fans with the exception of my cape. That one I am not very sure how I will add the beard and spurs to it.. Maybe not at all and perhaps beside it some place??

I have my cape drying out right now with borax.. I have thought a bout adding the wings on with my tail fan. Just not sure about 2 things.. 1) is how to dry the wings out without getting any bugs on it.. Then a even bigger problem is 2) where I can find the room for it without the wife's cats getting at it. I told her I could keep Rusty my Irish Setter watching over it. She did not like that idea either as Rusty dislikes her cats worse than I do... lol

Since this contest is over (knock on wood) and we are the Champions!! I figured I'd post some old pics to show you that I can get it done, (just didn't) LOL.




Makes me feel better to post something. Even if its not from this year.

Phil,
As far as drying the wings. You just need to get as much of the meat off the bones as possible. You can cut open the underside of the wing to get the "shoulder" area cleaned as you wont see it once mounted. Rub the bone down with Borax and stuff as much as you can in there. Spread the wing the way you want it and pin it on a piece of cardboard to dry. I've got a BS in Biology and when we were taught to prepare museum specimens we didn't even clean the wings further than we could push inside out. There's just not a lot of meat in there. What I did with the cape was pin the beard at the bottom of the cape so it hung down. Looked cool. Its in the cabin so I can't take a pic of it to show you.

Ok cool.. Also it is still any ones ball game until after Saturday as it is very close right now.. But, yes I have hope we can hang onto the lead until it is over!!

This year was hard hunting for everyone.. The birds never responded the way they should of have.. But, that is hunting for you.. Which is a lot more fun than going to the store to buy it.. Besides I think wild turkey is better for you and taste better as well..

Nice pics talondale. Hopefully we will all be on same team again next year and you can kill next years " turkzilla"

Nice pics, we never doubted you talondale. Sometimes good hunters have tough seasons.

Ain't that the truth. I have had years were I did not hear a single gobble in my home state.

I feel the same as well. There is no reason to doubt anyone as we all know all to well these factors can change.. Great pics by the way I enjoyed looking at them..

Phil do you do any moose or bear hunting in your home state?

While I personaly do not bear hunt because i can not get to like th flavor of the meat of them. I do in fact like the idea of others hunting bears and I always hope they get them.

I do hunt moose here if I am lucky enough to get a permit or am lucky enough to be on a tag with someone else that has a tag as a sub permittee.. I love moose meat with out a doubt it is about the best wild game there is in my opinion..

Well team I hope we can make it threw the next 2 days of turkey hunting season.. Then that will feel great wouldn't it? I know it will to me.. Keep on a hoping that we can keep us together as a team come next year guys!!

Two more days left! Hang in there!

All we have to do now is get threw tomorrow and that would be great!! So I am still hoping we can make it.. We made it this far so hopefully we will make until then as well.. I would love to see this team stay on for another year!

LOL. I didn't think anyone doubted me I just wanted to post SOMETHING.

I can not say as I blame you... lol

I wish we would hear from the others a little once and a while.. I sure hope everything is going alright for them and their families..

Well team 1 more day and then we will have to wait for all the scores to be added up to find out exactly where we stand guys! I hope we can make it threw this next day! Way to go team..

One more day guys!!!! Has anyone been on the winning turkey team?

How is your math skills Phil? Lol!

Been reading your thread and I hope to disappoint you. Roosted a bird last night and hope to get him this morning. Time will tell. If not and your team wins then congrats to all of you, it's been a blast.

If you can up grade and beat then congrats VT.. We know it would be a battle straight from the beginning and we all have had a blast as well..

I hope if you get one it is a jake.. LOL

For the most part good but, we all can make a mistake..

We have 1 team to be concerned about and that will be over with tonight.. Keep your hopes up as he needs to better his bird on this one..

Well team today is the big day whether we win or lose.. I am hoping for the win! Whether we win or not we have the most active team with all the posts we have made and all the hits from the viewers all watching us.. We certainly do have a great team this year!! It has been great being the captain as well. All of you input has been fantastic! I will be at work when this contest comes to a close. I hope we still are allowed on the internet as I will be wanting to check in and see whether or not we win this contest.. Naturally I am thinking we will win.. Good Luck guys I am hoping to congratulate the team on an outstanding job that was well done! Heck I will say congrats anyways as we have done a great job as a team! Congrats guys!

Well team I am sorry to say we are now in second place with one of their unheard from members posting a jake this morning.. I wish we could of had one of our unheard from members post a bird for us or something.. Anyways thanks guys it has been a blast! I really wish we could of had kept our team together for next years hunting season.. Congrats guys on a job well done!

Our only hope now is one of the unheard from pops in with a bird be it a jake or any other turkey to score for us.I do wish they would of stopped in a couple of times to help keep us informed.. Anyways I hope some of us can be on a team again next year.. We truly have a great team this year and I enjoyed it all..

I never have, in 11 years. This was the closest I've came, I am really bummed it didn't happen for us. This has been my most enjoyable season in the contest and I was really hoping to so it again next year with you guys.

I have never been either and I really had hopes that this would be the year as well. Now I am still hoping one of the unheard from members pops in with a bird to post.. That would surely save us right now.. Yes jepcho this is the closest I have ever been as well. We had it right up to the last day of the contest. The only way to beat that is a win..

I can't believe it. What a kick in the groin!!!

Looks like he has been holding on to that one judging by the bare trees. How green is it in your neck of the woods Phil?

Second year in a row to win total amount of birds and second in best bird per hunter

Even in a loosing effort, I have to say it was one of the best years of hunting I have had. Most definitely the best team I have been apart of. We just came up a tad short

I have no doubt he had sand bagged it.. It surely is greening up every where up here.. But, non the less he put it in for a score.. Whether sand bagged or not.. It sort of makes me wonder if it was even shot it this season? But we have no choice to except it the way it is. They win we lose simple as that..

I do not believe it should be counted, but that is not up to me.. If you look in the Off Season, Garden Thread you can see what it looks like up here as of yesterday.. No way was that bird shot with in the last few days if it was up this far.. So I am positive he had sand bagged it.

It is the same thing with me as well. It is the second time I have been on a team that has had the biggest bird posted in this contest and lost as well..

I would agree swampbuster.

Well this really sucks, finally get on a good team and end up 2nd again.

Hey can we talk the mods into letting the high overall team stay together?

Kinda makes a guy not want to get involved come next year. However maybe some of us will get put on a team together for next year.

Bummer Bummer Bummer

I agree and I am currently debating if i want to play this contest again.. I have a dislike to play if any sand bagging is going on and this one was very clear to me..

I am in this same boat too. If I am going to do this again next year I don't think I'd want to do it on any other team. It'd sure be fun to try again in 2015, as long as we're all together.

Honestly I am not nearly as disappointed about not winning the contest as I am about not being able to be on this team again next year. That's really the disappointing part.

I have been on the winning team once.

Maybe a rule suggestion should be that the bird has to be reported within one week of the kill or something to verify date has to be in the pic?

Where have the final scores been posted because I haven't seen the mods of the contest update the scores in over a month?