Got my first gobbler
 

Only saw 2 opening day but heard a ton in the woods and in the background of the pic you can see the dam for my duck impoundment. I could hear a ton of them in there, had been raining hard last few days and we just had it disced up so figured they were in there eating grubs/worms.

Luckily I also had my old 870 pump with me along with my Benelli. I needed the full choke and 30" barrel for this guy as he wasnt having anything to do with my decoy and I shot him at around 30 yards. Probably wouldnt have gotten him with my other shotgun. Too bad he was just a baby. Only 11" beard, spurs about 3/4" and weighed around 20 pounds. Will be taking him to my taxidermist and having a decoy made out of him for next year.

Now I just need the real Toms to show up but I figured this would happen. Saw them all day from Jan-March and then come April 1st they all go on vacation.

Congrats, but if he is just a baby in your eyes, why shoot him? I hope you are just joking. A 20 pounder is no baby.

Couldnt tell his spur size because he was so far out and I have read that anything under 1" is a younger bird. But I have seen bigger birds over the last few months. From now on Im letting everything walk that isnt a monster. I just wanted to get my first one out of the way and I guess he isnt that bad. Hes about as big as the pictures that have been popping up on my facebook that my friends shot.

Probably this bird's 3 rd. spring. Certainly a nice gobbler and congradulations. You gotta realize about every predator out there eats turkleys ... coyotes, foxes, owls, hawks, bobcats, skunks, pole cats, crows, etc. all do a number on eggs, poults and adults. For a turkey to get to 4-5 years old down this way is probably pretty rare.

Try not to get caught up in chasing only "giant" gobblers. Two year old birds can be just as fun to hunt and they taste just as good. It's not about the size of the lonbeard, but the hunt itself. I'm just as happy with a 2 yr. old as I am a 3 or 4 yr. old. Sure, we would all like to kill birds with inch and a half spurs, but that's not what turkey hunting is all about. Just go out and have a great time and be proud of whatever you kill. Again congrats on your first. Be proud of it, it's a great bird.

Hey, Man. It's OK to smile at the camera. :biggrin:

Nice tom!

Can only shoot 5 per season and since I hate the taste of them Im just gonna pass on everything unless its Tomzilla. I just dont like killing anything I have no intentions of eating. This one's fate was already decided to be a decoy so I will probably shoot only one more and only if he looks like a Velociraptor.

Very nice bird. Congrats...

good job but no baby in my eyes

no baby in my eyes either 11 inch beard very nice and 20 lbs. they dont get much bigger in my area! congrats.