Burned first 2 tags due to a bad back, which has finally healed. So my g/f and I spent the weekend at some Wisconsin public land. We were the only hunters on entire property for this 4th season tag. Nothing close Saturday, but did glass 9 jakes & one Tom hounding 2 hens about 500 yards out. We set up there Sunday morning and had the mature Tom come in to my dekes, strutting closer for over 30 minutes. I got some great video of him and my Zink Avian decoy. The sunrise was directly in my face, and I had failed to put the camo sock over my gun, so the sun reflected in my face. Just before shooting my shotgun muzzle slipped off my blind opening and I blew a hole threw the blind.
. This scattered my BBs and I missed my slam dunk shot. Never missed one inside 30 yards in my life. To make things worse the Tom took off and a took a follow up shot which hit my decoy in the head, spinning it around.
. It let the air out of her.
. A search produced nothing.
Got back in blind. Later saw 7 other scattered birds, and decided to call it quits. We are rolling up stuff at noon when a jake appears. I called him and he came right in to decoys. So I shot him from 25 yards and at least got something on the board for now.
Upon further inspection, I think I shot a bearded hen. It had a 2 1/4" beard, but grey head, buff color tipped chest feathers, no spurs, but taller center fan feathers. It acted like a hen........no strutting, just walked up to decoys to check out. Was very small, only 9#, 2 oz. I believe new Wisconsin state record smallest legal turkey harvest.
I have 3 more tags left, all zone 2 where I have a slam dunk overlooked strutting spot waiting. Now If I can only get some time off work. Got a special project assigned. Also court case to end my lazy exes welfare forever Wednesday, at which I am representing myself.
Team Number: 3
Hunters Name: Zim
State the bird was harvested: WI
Date of Kill: 5/5/13
Time: 12:15 PM
Method of Take: Shotgun
Species: Eastern
Sex: Female? Bearded hen I believe
Lbs: 9
Oz: 2
Rt Spur Length: 0
Lft Spur length: 0
No of Beards: 1
Length 2.25"
NWTF SCORE: Your score is 9.125 + 0 + 0 + 4.5 = 13.625