Biked 2 miles in to see/hear nothing for 3rd day! Yikes this new property I'm trying sucks! But did get met up by a CO in the parking lot. He carded me then asked if I was Zim from Bowsite forums! Haha it turns out he'd been reading my threads for over 5 years. We ended up chatting quite a long time and exchanged contact info.

Overslept this morning, so I'll take day off and go to breakfast. Have to work this afternoon anyway, so it was a good day to miss.

This first tag was an experiment anyway. I always do well in Wisconsin.

Youth season in MO opens Saturday and the weather looks
like it's going to be pretty good. DTC Jr should have a chance
to up his score.

Nothing on the last day of my 5 day tag. This was the worst turkey hunt I have ever had to experience. Area was basically devoid of birds. Trying this new place gave me a good dose of Illinois public land reality. I figured it was a bad idea picking a place right next to St. Louis, but I had to try due to the potential of future working vacations. However, it was in fact grossly over pressured with extremely few birds.

Got 2 weeks off before my real hunts start. After hunting in numerous states, I believe Wisconsin is the hidden jewel for public land turkey. One year I toured the whole state of Wisconsin and found the highly touted areas like Boscobel (turkey capital)/Wisconsin River shed had great habitat but TONS of hunters! However, I found several outstanding obscure public parcels in 3 different zones that were loaded with turkey and where I never saw another hunter. These provide a totally different experience. But as a NR I have to wait a while for the later season leftover tags. These hunts are in remote areas where I know I will take my toms.

I scored this morning on a good bird. I will post a picture later. 22 lbs, 10" beard, and 1 1/4" spurs. My dad called in 3 gobblers, they put on a show. It was awesome!

Can't wait to see the pics Jr! Congrats!! Well, my birds are there but no bird down for me yet. Sat for a completely silent 2 hours. I wondered if they were there. So I changed spots, still no responses. Got up and just started stalking around and seen some in the neighbors field. Tried doing a sneak but by the time I got somewhat close they had moved out to the middle. 5 longbeards, 4 jakes and 2 hens were all in a tight knit group. Threw the fan in the air and the jakes seemed interested but there was 1 particular tom pushing everyone around. They just slowly meandered off. So I didn't spook them so hoping next time will be successful!

Well, I have had a spectacular 4 day hunting extravaganza!

I guided 3 people, and for the first time EVER I was able to take my wife on a hunt!

We have no family so there is no leaving our little ones with Grandma over night. We've been together 13 years and have never had a night away! :o

We found a 18 yr old babysitter that would show up at our house at 5:00am so we could get out for her first hunt ever.
Last night I went and roosted them in a really hot spot that I had been holding back just for this! No hunting pressure and they'll gobble if you fart!

We showed up at the spot earlier than we needed too, because I wanted her to get the FULL experience in case we never get this chance again. Dead calm, and dark, and silent. Then the animals start to wake up. The birds, and the owls etc... then a G O B B L E !! Right about 20 yards to our right.I could see her eyes REALLY get big, and she squeezed my hand really tight. * we were FULLY exposed on the edge of a field with zero cover! I wanted her to know the feeling of a big ole Tom bangin it out, and spittin and drummin right in her lap!

we had one Tom start gobbling on the roost really early, way earlier than normal. He gobbled for 20 minutes before anyone else did. Then he had another tom answer him... then a hen, then the entire forest started trading gobbled, yelps, and clucks.

Then, once again... way early... I heard a hen on the ground (still pretty dark) and then I heard two birds fly down and no more gobbles from the 2 nearest to us.
I am looking to my right and I can just make out the tops of two big fans above the dry grass at about 25 yards. at first I wasn't convinced that what I was seeing was two Toms until the literately erupted into a violent fight that lasted only like 2-3 seconds, and then you could hear wing flapping all in the woods.

Silence for 20 minutes... I was making some hen calls and not getting a lot of response, so I switched to a fighting purrrrrrrr...... GOBBLE GOBBLE !

That was the ticket. In my mind the two had been "arguing" on the roost and the a$$ whoopin was swift and severe. I kept up the fighting purrrrs while watching the area where they were fighting, then out of the corner of my eye I notice some movement to our front and center.
I whispered to my wife who had also been looking to our right "look in front of you"!
The Tom was at about 40 yards and trotting at us (no decoys used). Then a hen flys into the field, and stops right in front of us. I didn't NEED to call but I wanted to set him off, so I did a few more purrrs, then off to our right there was a thunderous gobble, and our tom answered right back... BUT..... he was scared! He was reluctant to strut, and was on a determined course in the opposite direction of the other Tom in the forest.I put my bead on him, and told my wife "if he keeps moving away I'm taking the shot". At this point he is at about 10 yards and gobbling at everything! He is definitely on his way AWAY from the Tom in the woods even though the hen is right in front of us. I think he was the non-dominant bird afraid of getting caught with the boss's wife. Well, he got to about 35 yards and I peppered him. The hen stayed put for several minutes and "talked" with the other Tom.
After about 10 minutes she wondered off in his direction. We decided to get up and walk that way.... We stood up "PUT...PUT...PUT...PUT" BUSTED :)
There were still several birds on the roost! They all bugged out, and I snuck over to see TWO big Toms in the draw. I tried to calm them down... no dice.
I know that if they were to keep on course they would end up on the other side of the trees in the adjoining field, so I headed that way with the wife in tow.

Upon reaching that field we see 3 Toms and 3 hens, and....... my friend on a combine!!

He stopped and saw the Tom we had but I told him were were after #2. He offered to go the long way around to not scare the birds but I figured they were used to the big machinery.... WRONG... they FLEW over the treetops!

We decided to make the stalk through the woods and pop up where they flew away.
After a long stalk I popped my head up and to my surprise there was ONE Tom on the field at 50 yards and walking away. I called but he kept strolling.
I low crawled thru the grass to within 40. Waited for him to face away, head down, and I stood up and quickly closed to 30 yards before he noticed..... too late for him :)

THREE beards!!!!

This piece of ground has got some REALLY heavy birds!!
I'll post all my numbers later today.

Wow I've not seen multiple beards all being so thick. That bird will score a lot of points!

Here he is.

Good going guys. Sounded like an awesome day Donnie. Just make sure you give me the measurements of your birds so I can post them.

Donnie, when you give me the measurements, let me know the species. DTC Jr., your bird scores 67. That is a great bird, congrats. I posted your score. Can't wait to see what your triple beard bird scores Donnie.