lets get a good story thread going here.....topic.."the ones that just couldnt be killed"..ill start..get some good stories going before the season...

last season i was hunting a private farm...maybe 50 acres..posted all around...but 2 diffrent roosting spots...good number of birds...hunting my first day over there i ran into a guy(shouldnt have been there period..no permission...posted by the farmer because he keeps cows there and noone to watch them..gates got left open ect so he posted it..ask and you can hunt though) he said he seen a big old bird on the edge of the pasture....but he was leaving....scouted it out....sure enough strut marks and the works....i knew where the bird roosted....so the rest of the season i was after him..seen him for the first time....right in his strut zone the next day(hunted a diffrent spot in the morning) big old boss tom strutting away...he was faced away so i jumped a 6 foot fence and set up...somehow he didnt see or hear me...only 75yds away if that!! set up started working him.....hed strut harder...and let out a thunderous gobble ever 15 mins or so...finally after about an hour of hard smart working him he started to come....hed strut 10yds my way...then 5yds back...KILLING ME....did that for a good 20 mins...but he finally gave up and started walking hoping the hen(me) was over the hill....(whole time i had a sapling cut off the fence line going somewhere a sapling should never go!!) wooohoo here he comes...50...45...40...saftey off here he comes...soon as he comes up out of the little depression in the pasture..sounded like a train was coming...what the heck...bird runs off....what the heck!?!??!! the WHOLE herd of cows charged my bird!!! throught may i didnt have school certain days...but i was working 2 jobs pretty heavy...i was so obsessed with this bird id hunt him from flydown till 730 and jet to school in wet muddy camos...school till 1130..work 12-5..then the second job 6-11......sleep was non exsistant..couldnt get him out of my mind...back up at 430...getting barely any sleep...EVERY day...i had him going EVERY day..(id change calls daily...locations daily ect) seen him a couple more times.....had him in gun range once more...his hen flew down to me off the roost...i ticked her off SOOOO bad...she came to kick my but...hit the ground screaming her head off.....he flew down in range..i could hear them both walking...but i made the hen so mad she left...and he followed..i figured she was loud and agressive...ill keep her going and they will come...but she left!....season ended.....and i smiled....i lost my mouth call(only mouth call i used..and just learned to use it that season) lost 3 or 4 hand carved strikers..probably jumping that fence daily and crawling to my setups...but man what an exciting season.....and i learned sooooo much...i wanted him so bad.....i still dream about him....he was a beast....king of the woods...thickest beard ive ever seen in real life....and i could see it between his legs when he strutted...and his strut zone was awesome that day...the sun shined on him perfectly....what a site.....never got him.....he beat me....i went home and slept....felt good to finally sleep......but it didnt last long! i graduated and started working 15hr days daily......8-4 at the first job and 5-12 at the second...but i bought me a HS tube and some HS loads....i just dont like shooting at 40with lead though my pattern is good enough......the HS patterns great out passed 40...i dont PLAN to shoot passed 40....just like knowing i can...i love them close in my face gobbling....i did mess up......i wanted him...learned and was told here when turkey hunting you cant hunt like that.....and it makes sense....i learned alot....but that bird learned even more....decoys and sweet calling on my custom handmade calls couldnt bring him in....im sure he was shot at before......he knew better then to come running to a hen like a jake......

The Boss of Beaver Creek.
Spent most of five days after him, knowing another hunter had done the same a week earlier.
I did take one of his lieutenants but couldn't drop the general! Had him in my sights on day one but he wouldn't break strut and I took one of his satellite toms instead.
Put a big sneak on him on day 4. Got to 40 yards and foolishly rushed a move and got busted...
He was a wise old Merriams with a rope beard and I'm sure had major hooks. (I'm sure of it, even tho I didn't see 'em.)

I have to say mine happened last year. I was in Missouri and it was one of those mornings where it was nice and sunny, not to cold, but there wasnt much gobbling going on. So as I sat and called every so often until about 7:30am when I noticed 2 hens and 2 toms heading my way. I got somewhat agressive with my calling and the biggest tom began strutting 80 yards away. The other tom immediately responded and started for the decoys. The bigger tom kept strutting and was closing as well. He was at about 30 yards and the other tom was at my decoys. It was an easy shot, but I held out for the bigger tom strutting. Well the hens decided they didnt like my decoys and started taking the strutting tom away. The other tom had walked out of sight so I decided to try and stop the strutting tom. I threw every call at him to break his strut. I whistled, even yelled hey big boy lift that head. That darn turkey never did raise his head. Needless to say he didnt make the freezer. Darn good hunt though. Next time the other bird gets it.

Great story guys. I'll add mine too.

I had a place I hunted when I was still living at homeand spent many of mornings after a big turkey. Each time out it appear there was something that would happen. Once I had a coyote come in and run him off, another time it wasanother hunter and many of time it was those darn hens. Last day of the season and sure enough him and I were in a duel. As he closed the distance I noticed movement and he decided to take flight into an old tree about 50 yards out. He sat there and looked around for that hen that he knew was out there.

At this point, I knew I had been beat. I simply took my hat and mask off and thanked him for a great season and told him I'd see him next year. It just seemed fitting that this smart old bird should live another day.

The following season found me on that same ridge but sadly enough, he never sounded off. Not sure what happened but I still think of that morning when I'm out there.

Opening day four years ago. I worked an awesome tom for probably about an hour. Area I was hunting was thick so it was hard to get off a clean shot. He would never step in the one opening . He started to leave soI foolishly took a shot. Didn't touch a feather, but he just casually walked off. Caught up with him and another tom about an hour later. He was the strutter but again he would not come close enough for a shot. He chased the other tom away. This tom came close enough for a shot and I took it. He was a 20 pounder with a 10 inch beard and 1 inch spurs, but the strutter was bigger. The next morning he was in the same exact tree. I got too close and he busted me. I caught up with him again on a power line. Worked him for 45 min. before he finally had enough and left. One week later he was in the same tree. After fly down he went towards the line. I intercepted him again. I was working him hard for about 20 minutes when two trespassing hunters came over the hill to try and get him. Needless to say I was a little ticked off. The tom had enough and left. I waited til the two were right by me and popped out of the woods on the line. I wished I had a picture of their faces when they saw me. I was nice thoughand told them to go on their way and make surethey never come back. I didn't here or see that tom the rest of the season. I did manage to get another one, just not qite as big. He was a 17 pounder with a 10 inch beard.

I've had a few that were really tough as I usually hunt later seasons in MN and Wisconsin but one comes to mind from last spring. I stay at the landowner's house and when I arrived we got to talking about birds and what he'd been hearing or seeing. He said his son had hunted a week or so before and was trying to kill this gobbler that always hung out in a draw up beyond the farmhouse. He was unable to kill him although he did put a sneak on him and had him in his sights but wasn't quick enough on the draw and the opportunity was gone in an instant. So that evening I went up there to listen and possibly put him to bed. About half hour before dark, he started in and gobbled quite a bit. I snuck along thru the trees and got to where I figured I could setup and cleared a spot against a tree with a good vantage point. The next morning, he started gobbling, I called very softly, he answered, and I waited. I heard him fly down and he began gobbling but went the other way up the valley. I relocated along a logging road that went up that way and called again. He'd gobble, move back and forth gobbling, but wouldn't commit. Then he was gone. I moved on and tried some other birds and then around 11am came back to that original spot. I setup and called. He gobbled just up the hill and then closer. I got the gun ready. Then a minute or so later he gobbled up the hill farther. I made the decision to get closer and crawled thru a dried creek bottom and moved up closer. Then called softly and a thunderous gobble sounded off just above me. He wasn't more than 50 yards but with the later season vegetation I couldn't see him. I got the gun ready and remained silent. Then a minute or so later he gobbled way up the hill again. This cat and mouse went on for awhile with me re-postioning different spots but with the same results. The next morning, I was in the same draw but snuck up parallel to him on the opposite hillside. He started gobbling as he had the day before. This time I tried calling more excited and re-positioned closer each time as if I was coming to him. Then I went silent and waited. He flew down and went the other way up the hill. The next day, I climbed up the bluff he roosted on and came in around him and setup where he had gone the two previous days. He gobbled, I called softly, and waited. He flew down and went the other way down to where I wasn't. Then a little later he was gobbling frequently and moving up to a field where I might be able to head him off. I got up there too late as he was already where I wanted to be with some hens and busted me. I'm really hoping that he is still around this spring as I may try the total silent approach and take him by sound. By that I mean he was gobbling enough and moving along that a person might be able to get in front of him just by following the sound of his gobbles. I got a look at him and he is a biggun...

a few years back, i was scouting and i found a honey hole. this place was loaded w/ gobblers. well i located this giant boss gobbler. and the first time i saw him he just happened to walk by me then stopped and must have been his strut zone and just strutted and i could not believe how big this bird was. i mean the beard on it looked like 2 paint brushes the spurs from what i saw where long and sharp as they come, but themost crazy part was just the over all size of this bird, he was huge.another thing aboutthis bird was his gobble, it just was different,differentthan all the others out there..well lets just say i was going to hunt for this bird, first day i was so pumped and ready. i went out and nothing only heard one gobble about a mile away. but that's okay i thought i had the whole first week off of work..[/align]day 2[/align]i hear gobblerseverywhere, it wascrazy fromone day to the next. well i heard my bird and hewas on the otherside of thehollow. well before i couldmove i had other birds all around meso i thought id stay put and maybe he will come over.. well i saw 2 longbeards that day but i passed them up for thisbig guy..he never made it.[/align]day 3 [/align]hunters everywhere, public land.. birds shut up right after fly down[/align]day 4[/align]heard a shot a few hundred yards away, was wondering if it was the bird i wanted, but i didn't find out.[/align]day 5 and 6 heard a few and saw a few jakes but never heard or saw the big boy. thought someone must have gotten him.[/align]day 7[/align]driving up the mountain and got a flat tire. OH NO im gong to be late, not for my last day till the following weekend... so i was like a pit crew guy changing that tire on my truck in the dark.. got up there and was picking them up and putting them down, still i was late i wasent going to make it where i wanted to go. so i just stopped and was listened.. well about 2 min later GOOBBBBLBLBLBBLBLBLLEEE holly crap that sounded like big boy could it be, GBOBOBOOBOBOLLLE yep its him, its game time he is less than 100 yards away. this is it i thought this is the day. i set up, called to him, he hit me back, again and again and boom here he comes. i shut up, and he is coming being loud and going nuts, im shaking and all the sudden i see him he is about 60yrds out, and its him big boy.. this is it he is coming in like a 2yr old. all the sudden PUTT and took off out of the state.. i lookover my shoulderand i see this orange hat coming my way about 100 yrds out.. public land.. never heard or saw that bird ever again. [/align]

had one one year that stayed hened up,a wise old gobbler, didn't want to get him educated. or call shy, after the third time huntn him and him winning all three, i knew the swamp they were roosting in, well i got to the swamp while they were still in the field one evening,about 100yds away, i set up next to a big oak,i called two or three time, they all looked, after waiting a few mins. i called again, a little more aggressive, he couldn't stand it, broke and ran straight to me, never gobbled once, once he was about 10yds in front of me, i introduced him to a bad day. went back two weeks later and killed another gobbler nearly the same way, try evening huntn, good luck and be safe.

bird on the other side of creek.. gobbling goes silent ...like peeing my pants and shaking (10yrsold) i didnt see it poke its head over the bank...and didnt get the shot

same season..saw 15+ birds in a $#!t field all day set up for like,5 seconds birds come rite next to us and had its head inbetween a forked sappling and they putting.. only shot my dad had and missed[:@]big bird to

"Wilmont Willie"
- He wasa boss gobbler that had a deep, resonating and unique gobble. The dam* bird was with hens from day one all the time throughthe end of the season year after year. Once, late in the season, I got near his roost before daylight. He gobbled to a purr, but waited to fly down until his harem gathered below. Once on the ground, he would gobble to my yelps, but the hensled him away from the "competition"as always.
Willie got about 200 yds away, and I staged a gobbler fight - loud purrs gotWillie to leave his harem and he camegobbling every other step in my direction, boy I was ever excited... I was using a slate with two strikers, so no gun in the hand. Then Willieapproached just below me in a hollow, gobblin' his brains out, well within range; I picked up my gun expecting him to peek over the top any second -Willie went quiet as soon as my "fight" went quiet. I kept it up with a few clucks and purrs with the mouth call, the silence was deafening. After a bit of timeWillie finally answered200 yds away, and he continued opening the distance.The monarchdied of old age as far asI knew.
-fsh