Congrats kellyquinn!! We can hardly wait to hear the story and see the pictures.. Way To Go !!!

I went and scouted around some more where I stashed my blind to see if I could see anything.. Nothing except some tracks.. I went early today though and most the birds I saw was on my drive back out of there with most of the birds showing up from 9:30 on. That was mostly hens.. I did see one longbeard as well. So the early morning thing appears to be not working as of yet.. That can change though with the warmer temps coming up this way..

Well got close this morning but not close enough. Took my boat and went across the lake and we didn't hear anything on our side. We walked and called and listened but didn't hear anything. Finally we started hearing a few different birds on the other side of the lake. We headed back to the boat and to the other side of the lake. We pulled the boat up walked up the bank and a turkey shock gobbled at a woodpecker. He was fairly close so we got in stealth mode and started easing his way. We were moving really slow and my buddy who was with me, his smart phone made some kind of noise and 30seconds later he gobbled right on top of us. I don't think that the phone had anything to do with it, but I joked with him about the turkey shock gobbling at his cell phone. Anyway we both sit down immediately and I can hear him drumming and he is coming our way. I finally see him and he is about 60-70 yards. I can tell that he is not going to come by within range so I softly call to him he looks our direction for a little while and gives us fold of the wing and walks off like he sees something he didn't like. Let me back up my buddy I don't think he turkey hunts a lot. He has a shotgun with a high gloss barrel and shiney wood stock, it's a nice looking gun but not a good turkey gun. Well while we are waiting for the turkey to come in he lowers his barrel. The turkey walks out I can see him with his head up and my buddy raises his gun. He said that the turkey was behind a tree and he couldn't see him. I didn't put my decoy out because he was so close. I have been replaying the hunt and maybe I should have put my decoy out and called before I could see him. The reason I didn't is because this is public land and I'm sure he has been pressured before. I thought that by calling he would get spooked or there would be a hen with him and she would lead him away. Which there wasn't a hen, he was by himself. Give me your feedback what do you think I could have done differently to get this bird closer. (I hate taking questionable shots, and I don't want to kill a turkey at long range I want to kill him close that's the fun part for me.

Rio
Oklahoma
Shotgun
17lbs
1" spurs
11" beard
Put the pic up when I get home

Way to go kellyquinn! He will surely raise your score. When you send in the picture can you add one with the beard measurement and spur measurements as well? We are supposed to have them and the Jake I figure really did not matter much. This bird will be needed it done though.. Also we need the time shot.. Thanks..

This is what I have scored for you.. Your score is 17 + 10 + 10 + 22 = 59

swampbuster I think that was a great call.. But, not being there myself it would be hard to say.. There is a lot of turkeys that get away from those longer shots in part because the distance can be hard to judge.. I am also inclined to agree with you on the guys shotgun may have been spotted.. While mine is not covered either I leave down on the ground until I am ready to fire it. Then I haul it up and fire only and hopefully he has turned his head when I do. A hen could of help you seeing how he was by himself. That is provided he did not see or hear you and your friend. He would of saw the hen and perhaps come in for a closer look but, that is anyone's guess. Sometimes turkey act strange and can be difficult anyways..

Ok guys we are closing in on team 6 right now.. They are still in the lead and hopefully when I get out there I can be of help.. Team 6 was at ( the last I checked ) 337.825 for the best bird per hunter and we are at 303.125!! Great job guys! Hopefully I can be of help and nudge us up past this team!! Also I am hoping some of the other team members can help out as well. We can win this thing and it is clearly within our reach!! For as far as the number of birds go Team 6 is way out in front of us.. With a lot of birds shot and the score currently is at or around.. 699.0875 while we currently have 391.25 .. That means 4 decent birds and we will be with in site.. Yes we can get this thing won as it is based on the score per hunter and I know we can do this!

Good Luck guys!!

Congrats kellyguinn on your turkey!

Quick question. Do you measure the beard from where the colored part of the beard starts or from where we would cut the beard off?

I'm having trouble posting the pics. It won't let me upload them. Can one of yall message me an email or cell to send them to. And after measuring the beard after getting it home its either 11.5 or 11.75 depending where the measurement is supposed to start.

It's funny but I have more of a story on the ones I missed. I got to the spot a little late. I was going to where I knew the jakes rooted when some owls started hootin. Low and behold I had gobbles from where I hadn't heard them before. I hurried over there but the sun had already started to lighten things up. I could see all the turkeys on the roost and though for sure they seen me walking the mile across farmers field. I set the decoy about 10 yards from where I sat down and about 100 yrds from the roosted Tom's. I gave a couple light tree yelps and I could tell they were interested. They flew down about 100 yrds behind me. I peeked around the tree and could see they were looking at my hen decoy. I slowly turned my body 90 degree so I could get a better shot. The spot where they have been ducking under the fence was right beside me but this was the only tree on the fence line so I knew I had to shoot before the came all the way in. Before I could get my gun up they had already closed the distance to 30 yards. When they got to 23 yards I quickly raised the gun, took aim and shot the first one. There were 4 all in a line and I couldn't see the beards to know which was better. All in all I probably was only at the spot 10 min. He was shot at 0630