Yea Im thankful I was able to take such a great buck...put in a lot of scoutin time and had kind of an intrestin mornin that mornin. I woke up with the worst knee pain but muscled thru the over 2 mile hike thru thick palmettos n lots of water. I didnt get in my stand til almost 8 n felt mighty discouraged gettin in there late but gained some hope when i seen a doe after about 45 minutes and then a four point about half hour after that. right about 10:15 i heard crashin thru the other side of the bayhead ithought it sounded like a buck gettin up from a bed. I was expectin that 4 point but seen the big 8oint racin the sawgrass inside the swamp all i could see was his head in rack...after seein he was headin in thicker i took the shot in the back of his head at about 120 yds. n dropped him...definitely the grace of god, hard work, enduring pain and tough terrain n a little luck all comin together

Great story..thanks for sharing...

Congrats man!!!

Turkey time is rolling around fast! I have been out a few times scouting, haven't located any birds yet but I think I found some signs. I am going to keep at it. Looking forward to just being out there, whether or not a bag a bird. Anyone hunting the first 2 days on at GS?

I have the permit but HATE the crowds..I'm retired so I'll hunt during the week. I also us this time for scouting for deer...so turkey hunting is very important to me.

Went out this weekend, didn't take a turkey. But I did get one to gobble at me 4 times. It was around 7:30, I started with a few yelps didn't hear anything so I did a few more with a cutt and I heard a gobble. I don't know if he was gobbling at me or someone else so I did it again, got another gobble from the same direction. So I did that until the four gobble. This is where I think I screwed up, I remember reading that once you have him gobbling to stop and let him come to you. I you keep gobbling you sound like a desperate hen and he will wait for her to come to him. So I stop calling for a few, I did a few random yelps but didn't get a response. So I sat waiting for about 3 hrs in that spot never to see or hear him gobble again. Even though I did bag the bird it was very exciting to actually get a gobble.

I got there at 5:00 and there were trucks lined up at the 471 entrance. As soon as they opened the gates almost every truck made a right at Leeve and headed towards the river. Which made me doubt my area I was going to but I did my scouting an stuck to it, didn't find a roosting area but I found a ton of tracks.

WOW...glad I didn't go..Being retired..I mostly hunt the week day.

WOW!!! even on a Tuesday lot's of hunters..I showed up to early..Even after a 1 1/2 mile hike I had to wait in the pitch dark for 60 minutes...that is scarry...Big ole hogs everywhere, coyotes and even a possile Freddy Kruger coming up on ya..I quoted the 23rd Psalm till my fears subsided..After I struck out...I scouted some for white tails..and ..got LOST..I pulled out my compass..I thought it was broke..I knew I was looking south but it said north..so I stopped leaning on my common sense and trusted my compass. I knew my truck was eastwards so through thorns, water and palmettoes I headed eastward and in one hour I found my truck. It's like the Bible..It's our compass as well..Sometimes it's good to not listen to friends and reason but trust in God's Word.

I have also been lost in the ol Green Swamp...not fun. Have they taken many turkeys out yet?
Ray