Sorry guys I blew it in Nebraska. I missed a nice Merriam. The shot was longer than I thought. My experience out there was awesome and Im returning there next year.

Lol!! To be doing so good, we had a awful lot of misses this year! We humbled ourselves down I guess.

Doetrain, hope your out there right now with a love sick Tom struttin in range!

Matt, still have you and your family in our prayers

Well Team Saturday was so much better than Friday with the all day rain and no birds. Got in position Saturday morning hunting a new section of a friends property I'll put some pictures up later. About 6:45 the silence was broken by 2 Toms seeing who could out gobble the other. I was on the wrong side of the property so I hustled over and got within 60 to 70 yards to the closest bird. We talk back and forth for 20 minutes before he came off the roost in front of me. I got ready and shut up waiting for him to pop his head over a little rise in front of me. 15 minutes later I heard him moving up the hill and to the left then he went silent then a Jake flew down and went to the right of me about 60 yards away. He left and then I headed to the field where they go gather hens one was still hammering the 2nd. bird I heard so I worked my way to the field were I could see him. It was the monster I missed Monday and I was blown away with just how big he really was a truly huge bird. He was moving left in the field so I dropped back and moved left with him and got about 60 yards or more in front of him and settled in behind a root ball. I looked to the left and 2 Jakes were 100 yards out and heading right, once they got in the tall grass I raised up to see the big boy who stopped gobbling. The Jakes did an about face and headed the opposite direction. I though I had spooked them until I saw a dog in the field who had went after the big Tom in the field! And guys I'll stop here because that was my last opportunity for the weekend. I hunted from dawn to dusk Saturday and 2 hours before church this morning then till dusk this evening. I'm sorry guys but after 14 days of hunting my 2 misses cost us a good bird not to mention a dog on a bird of a life time. My Buddy Kent came to hunt with me later that afternoon and shot the first bird that came off the roost in front of me. 22lbs. 11" Beard and 1 1/2 Spurs I was happy for him he had given up because of so many people messing up his hunts in public hunting areas. He offered to let me submit this bird as mine but I said Kent that's not my bird and I won't cheat other teams by doing so. He understood but said do it for Matt but I said Matt would not want me to do that. All my friends got birds some I helped get them and I am truly happy for them all. Well Team once again I sorry I did not help our score but with GOD as my witness I gave it my best effort.

Hey guys. Good to read about some of the success stories and even the misses. I think we all had our share of misses this season.

An update on Alison- She is still not responding but we have seen some positive signs. She opened an eye yesterday but doesn't appear to be responding to that. We have a long road ahead.

Thank you guys all for you prayers and thoughts. I'll try to check in every now and then to let you guys know how we are doing.

Matt Martin

A story to share with you guys about one that got away.

I had been hunting a hollow for a few days and had already taken one out of there. This one bird across the hollow had been gobbling just a few times before shutting up every morning. I decided to make my way around and come in from the opposite side. On this particular morning there wasn't much gobbling on the roost. I waited till fly down time to see if I couldn't find him then. After about 30 minutes I decided to go toward another bird that had sounded off a few times on further in. I walked off the ridge a bit and was surprised when I saw a bird sitting on the ground about 10-12 steps away. My first thought is that this was a hen on a nest. My second thought is that this hen looks nothing like a hen. I wasn't about to shoot the bird even though I'm thinking gobbler. What's a gobbler doing sitting on the ground and not running off?

I thought I would try to sneak around this "hen". The bird had been staring at me for a couple minutes. I took about 5-6 steps to get around it when the bird stood up and had a big full beard! Needless to say the sling kept me from getting a shot and the tom walked off unscathed. He never putted and never ran off. My guess is he was injured and couldn't fly. I kicked myself for not recognizing him sooner. I guess I was shocked by the fact that I had walked that close to a bird that was sitting on the ground.

That would have caught us all of guard Matt,very odd indeed but maybe he will be there for you next year like the ones I missed.

Matt,

Just read of your loss. I am truly sorry. I lost my son to cancer in 2006 and can relate. My prayers are with you and your family.

Matt, I just heard of your loss, and I am very sorry. I am praying for you and your family.

Do we have anyone hunting still?

It was a great year for me. I shoot 3 turkeys just one big.

Turkman

Wish I was Team Mate but Indiana is done till fall. Trying to get into my new home by this weekend or next so If I could hunt antwhere near by it would be very brief in duration. I feel I let the team down with so many mistakes this season but it's done and I can't turn back time or i would believe me.

Im finished as well. I only killed one bird this year and still felt like I had a successful season. I think the team did fine and I believe we are still in the lead in the contest.

Any ideas when jw will update the standings? Its been almost 3 weeks....

I had a good season as well in spite of my impatience which cost me my biggest Tom ever Captain,its a delight just to get out and spend time in the forest and countryside. This field is where I finished my season and this Turkey was in a different spot than where I was hunting the last day in the evening hours. We got him on the trail camera at 10:45 am on Sunday the 12th. This is the field I thought was going to provide me with the big Tom I missed on that Monday,this is where he was struttin and gobbling Saturday morning. I was 60 yards to the left of where my decoy is setup when the dog came into the field and spooked all the birds off. This is where my Buddy Kent got his 22 lb. Tom that afternoon it was a bird I had worked that morning but he drifted off later to come back in the field at the oppsite end of where I was set up.

It's sounds like everyone had a great season!

I just hope we stay the champions. Now remember the champions are the team with the highest soring birds. Meaning only the biggest turkey you killed will be applied to the Team score. Not the team with the most birds.

I think we got it. We put some big birds down this season. Either way I had a blast this year, and dont forget we've got a team member who still needs a lot of prayer. Great job this year guys, I hope we get to defend another championship again next year!

Sorry Ihave not been on, its been a crazy month. My heart goes out to Matt on his loss. I have 2 daughters, 17 and 23 and thank God every day when they get home safe. My worst fear is losing one of my kids.

If we don't win, we get re-drafted next year, right? Win, lose, or draw, it has been fun swapping stories and getting to know y'all. Hopefully we'll pull this out and be able to stay together.

Any clue when there will be an update in the scoring???

I think last year it was over june 1st

We did put some big birds down this year....hope we can pull it off! Would love to have y'all as team mates again next year!

Are we going to win this. What is the up date???

Turkman

Have no idea turkman

June 7th the contest will be over. I will try and get a figure and see how we are doing.

Right now its close but I don't think were gonna hang on to the lead.

To more days left. I hope we can pull it out and win again.

Turkman

I hope we can pull it out!

Did we win?????

not sure yet. JW will have it scored soon

Well guys if it stands as posted we came in 2nd. Lost by 3 little points but 1 point or 3 it does not matter in the end. I feel really bad not at least getting a Jake or bearded hen we would have won easy with either. Sorry I was the weak link in a otherwise strong chain of great hunters who worked hard to repeat. Your all a great bunch of team mates and it was fun being on the Beard Bandits with you all. Good luck this fall with Deer and Turkey and I'll be around to see how everyone is doing. Anyone heard how Matts Daughter is doing in Alabama ? GOD bless and take care.

Doetrain, it happens to the best of us. Last year I got skunked and we still won, this year I got two birds and we lost......so it isn't one person who wins it or loses it, it's a whole team. We sure had a good run at it again this year and I enjoyed having you all as teammates. I'd love to have any one of you guys come hunt with me if you're ever down around central alabama.

To update you all on Matt's daughter Alison, she is doing GREAT! Although they aren't considering her state as "awake" yet, she is opening an eye or two and will smile on command. They say she is slowly moving towards waking up completely. The pressure on her brain has subsided and they were able to remove the trache. They are actually moving her tomorrow to a place in Atlanta to continue recovery. What a blessing it is. Many prayers were heard and I know they all appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers.

So who won it?

Team 4 The Fan Club Turkman by around 3 points we got real close real close.

I just got a jake last year and we won. This year I shot a big turk and we lost, oh well thats how it goes.
But did shot 3 turks with my bow. I was happy about that.

We still did a good job this year. Thanks guys Ive had a great time. Im glad Matts daughter is doing better. That means more to me than returning as champs. Matt your family is still in my prayers. God bless each and everyone of my teammates and your familys. HMMM I think I have an idea for next seasons contest. Stay tuned and just maybe this team will all return next year.

It was both a great year and a terrible year. This year I had a lot of birds come to my calls. I took my first bird with a call that I had produced myself. I missed way too many birds.

I was blessed to have carried my oldest daughter on a few hunts this year. We started the year off in February at the NWTF convention together. I bought her a new turkey vest and a nice box call. She got to work a bird with her granddad using that call.

When I lost her on April 30th I thought that I wouldn't ever want to hunt again. My brother said it best. Is that what she would have wanted?

Thanks for all the prayers guys. I hope we can get together again next year.

I like to congratulate Team 4 for winning the 2013 turkey hunt.


Turkman

And I as well Brother. How is the young one doing? Have not heard about her condition in a while,still in our prayers to the Father of mercies for her.

Well Team Mates here is the Tom I missed and 5 days later had the neighbors dog run off the day before our season ended. This picture is from June the 11th. he is still looking for love and best of all alive for fall. Just maybe I'll get him then. He would have given us the win but it was not meant to be I guess.

Man....that was a close one! I want y'all to know I had a great time being on this team. I was just as excited about getting home and posting a bird on here as I was showing my hunting partners. Don't know what Arrows got up his sleeve, but it would be an honor to call you teammates again! Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable off season. Matt, you and your family are still in our prayers!