Opening day in MO and here's how it went down. I left my comfort zone and drove 25 minutes to my wife's grandparents farm. I got set up well before daylight and shortly after 2 birds started gobbling. They never answered me and flew down and went the other way. I was really second guessing myself for leaving the farms I hunt every year. I checked a few fields there will no sightings or responses. Make the 25 minute drive to my home ground. Park the truck and immediatly spot 2 hens in a field, no gobbler. I ease on toward the south end of the farm off a big field birds love to strut in. I set there about 30 min and did some soft calling, finally a gobble!! I know I need to move down the ridge to have a chance at this bird. I get set up and he answers me a couple times and then I see a big bearded hen heading right toward him. Needless to say I never heard him again. I ease out and head to another farm to a food plot. The drizzle is really coming down so I decide to set up under a cedar tree and do some sporatic calling. About 45 min in I hear a hen yelp. I mick her a few times and she shuts up. About 15 min later I catch movement to my left. 3 gobblers, 4 jakes, and 2 hens are coming, they get to 25 yds and I need the tom to take 2 more steps, he looks and turns around and the whole flock follows him back in the timber. I am bummed out b/c I just can't seem to get a break. I head to my truck and decide to try the bird that gobbled so much earlier. I parked my truck at 12:22, head to the fence and make a call, NOTHING!! Move on back to that field where the bird answered me 3 hours earlier. I call, and GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!! I'm wonder what my chances are since in MO you can't hunt past 1 PM. I get set up and while getting situated he gobbles again, and again, and again. I'm thinking this might be my shot, so I call again and he cuts me off. I see him running across the field with a jake. He gobbles about 6 more times and walks up on a high spot in the filed to strut and gobble. By this time he is 35 yards and I am just enjoying the show. He pulls his head up and I let him have it. This is my heaviest bird to date, 27 lbs, 1 1/4" spurs, and an 11 1/2" beard.

Great story and great outcome for you DTC!!! Thats an awesome sized bird. You are the turkey slayer!!

Congrats DTC and awesome bird

DTC!!!!! Man you know how to put em down!!! Awsome bird, congrats!! I come up with a score of 75 on that one, nice! I remember seeing some 26 #ers in this contest but dont ever remember a 27, thats a pig!
I'll get him posted on the scoring thread, lets go boys!!!! Rack em up!!!

My boy killed that 26 lber during youth season I thought there is no way to top that. I knew when I picked him up he was solid. I couldn't believe it when I put him on the scales. There has been some heavy birds killed here this year. I am guessing the mild winter we had. I teach at a small rural school and several of the kids killed birds 23-25 lbs. My buddy killed one this morning that weighed 24. DTC Jr and I can't hunt until next Monday so now back to the waiting game. I've got pics of a few double beards so maybe we can get on one of them. If not I don't see anyway I can up my score. I think things will get better, birds aren't quite ready yet.

Congrats DTC...my opening day sucked...we should have stayed in bed...lol

Well to start off the wifes appointment was moved without notice and they called saying she missed her appointment...then we go to the sportshop to try and get a duplicate turkey tag for my wife since it would take 5 days by mail...so we get to the sportshop and its closed till 1015 we waited till 1030 or so and it never opened...before just heading out to set bear bait...we got the bait set and head back to the sport shop. Now the sign says be back at 1200!!! wtf! well luckily the guy was walking up as we pulled up. Go in to buy a duplicate and are told the only place we can get a duplicate is a the regional HQ 40 miles away..so no go for my wife...so we head back out and finally get out to hunt turkey around 1pm...nothing!! No gobbles nothing! we tried 2-3 different calls nothing...they were locked up or gone! There was plenty of "sign" but nothing else..:rolleye0011: oh well maybe try tomorrow... and check my bear bait...:)

Second bird down! I have tagged out in Florida and my season is over.
Happy and sad all at the same time. I will post pics and score tomorrow, tell the story.

Nice job DTC, that is 1 big bird.

Good luck Wilcam, I hope your luck changes.

J76 almost your turn, enjoy it as much as possible. Turkey season is just to short.

Mottz good luck, I hope you get on some birds soon.

Phil when are you gonna get a chance to go?

Who else on the team is hunting?

John

WOW! DTC that is one heck of a gobbler! Congrats! Also a great story on trying to locate and find one that would show itself for a dinner date.. LOL WTG! Where I hunt if you get one 18+ lbs. you have yourself a pretty big turkey! There is just not many farms in this area and I would have to drive for 2 1/2 hrs to get to some farm lands.. The area I hunt here is big and there are some decent turkeys here.. I hope to score one the first week of the season for us.. Again Congrats on a job well done!

Congrats on your second gobbler John! WTG

I hope you get a chance to connect to one as well Mottz! All these turkeys starting to get nailed is getting me a little anise. LOL .. I have to wait until April 29th for my hunting season to start and the birds are showing up better right now so it should be a great season for me. I have opening day to start my hunting with a full weeks vacation and it can not get here soon enough.. I am about as ready as I can ever be.. Although I do need to get my blind out and set it up here at the house to make sure that is ready for me..

Good Luck j76 when your season starts.. These turkeys getting tagged now has to be getting you going as well!

Wilcam I hope your luck changes for you as well. Good Luck on getting a long beard down!

2nd Osceola down.

I heard the birds gobble on the roost, snuck in and got set up.
After some soft calling and not hearing anything, I was planning on waiting them out. After about half an hour, I heard the birds getting closer. I saw the birds moving past me and out of sight. I tried the pot call, cutting amd yelping with no response.
I hit the mouth call with a excited cackle and the bird gobbles about 50 yards to my right. I see a gobbler come in looking for the hen, then another shooter comes in. The I see a gobbler followed close by the strutter. The get about 30 yds out and appear to be moving away, not towards my decoy. I was able to pick up the gun and swing around on him, He is facing away from me and I put the gun on his fan, and I need to turn him. I tried to purr and cluck, but they are still moving away. I hit the cackle and he turns and gobbles, I pull the trigger almost at the same time. Bird down.

When the birds came in there were 4 shooters in the group, could be good for next season.
Season is over for me, I am happy and sad all at the same time.

Was an exciting season, called into range a few birds with a call I made and am getting better with a mouth call.
bird scored 60.125










John

Way to go Bornagain!! You had a great season thats for sure! It always seems to end wayyy too quick doesn't it.
Sorry, but having a little trouble getting your score to come out right. Kinda hard to see your numbers. Correct me where i'm coming up wrong, this is what i have
15 #s
10 1/4 beard
1 1/8 rs
1 1/4 ls
with these numbers i come up with 59.25. Let me know where my mistake is.
Get after em Wilcam! Things will get better for ya!
Good luck this weekend Mottz!
6 days to go here!!