Earlier this afternoon I didn't have anything else to do, and my dad wasn't going to be able to go huntin this evening so I decided to just go get out in the woods. I got out to one of our public land spots around 3:45 or so and decided to sneak out there. The spot I was wanting to get to was about 3/4 of a mile from the truck and there isn't any other way to get out there then to cross an open plowed field, and when I just walked out of the tree line I see 2 toms haulin butt the other way, and I start cussin to myself. It was a big mistake on my part, but I didn't think about it because I have never seen any other bird out there. So I go on as planned, and I didn't see any turkeys at the spot I planned from the road, but I sneaked up their anyways. I looked out into this field and I see one lone tom. I slowly belly crawl up to this berm with a big tree and a few bushes between me and the turkey. I was able to crawl into probable around 50 yds of the turkey, and started to cluck lightly with my diaphragm, a series about every minute or so. After about 5 minutes I was thinkin maybe I spooked this turkey, so I slowly look up through this mess of sticks and I can see him, but it looks like he's headed the other way. I send another few clucks, slowly look up and the little opening I was looking through is black, I could tell he was strutting. I waited for what seemed like forever and he poked his head through an opening and I let him have it. 30 min. into my first hunt by myself I had my second gobbler down. I looked at him and I knew he was a good bird, but I got home and took some measurements, He was way bigger than I thought. 12 1/4 in. beard 1 1/4 right spur 1 1/8 in left spur, but i havent weighed him yet, It will be a hunt I will always remember being the first time turkey hunting without my pops. The first two pics is of my buddy with his first bird that he got last weekend also, then the rest of the turkey pics are from today.



http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e267/94blackSS/

congrats. great beard, spurs, and story.

Congrats on a fine bird. Dont ya just love turkey hunting. Great story...

Nice! Good Job, Congrat's

Thanks for the replys guys. We took it and got it scored at cabelas, and it came out to be 71.625, I know it's a good bird, but how good of a bird is it? Im thinking of getting it mounted, what do u think a good price is for a standing mount? Im pretty sure we've been huntin this bird for a couple years, and has always outsmarted us until now. So I think it would be really cool to get it mounted. Id just like to get a few opinions, thanks

Congrats, great looking bird.

Congrats on the trophy and a public land bird to top it off! Impressive!

hey, awesome bird!! good shooting.

congrats....