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

cool. kinda lucky it had a beard or u coulda been in trouble

I glassed it a hundred times evaluating the beard before I shot. I was sure it was long enough to qualify. I would have passed on this bird ay other time, but my g/f was there and we dont get to hunt together often, and it was the last hour of the last day for that tag.

First to last...........Last year I took the #1 om in this contest from the exact same field. This year I bet mine is the lowest scoring!

However, it puts our team in first for the most team members scoring birds.

its a jake just looked at the pic. u can tell cause the head

But the chest feathers are definitely not black tipped. They were tan color, which I have read is the most dependable indicator of a hen.

Looks like a hen color to me.

I have developed a vendetta on one bird. 3.5 days to get it done and I missed.
Used the cossbow and turkey goes what the heck was that which flew by my head?
Hunter goes screw picks up shotgun done deal.....I need more xbow practice

Eastern
18 lbs 4 oz
8 inch bd
Spurs 15-16s and 1 inch white in color and hookes
Another 3 yr old
State Michigan
Had him with me 4 different times moved alot ranges 45, 32, 39 and 15. Wanted less tnan 20 and got it.
Missed a head shot with xbow....picked up ole meat in the pot for tbe shot......at 16

Pics to follow got 2 weeks left and 3 tags so far I am 2 cor 3 on helping other hunters still working on number3 and am 4 for 4 on my used tags. Got 3 unused to go

Congrats JW. How much longer does your season go.

Till May 22

And pouring rain but juzt called in 5 jakes 3 hens and boy I wouldn't wanna be a turkey ii