2009 TURKEY CONTEST OFFICIAL PICTURE AND STORY LOG

[Issiah]

I'll be sure to weigh the next one before field dressing     Just a habit I got into when weighing turkeys?  I'm pretty sure that New York use to ask for Field Dressed weight when reporting birds, didn't they?  I see that it just asks for weight now...  I'm embarrased to say I think I may have reported incorrect weights several times.

[dan_lais]

its been awile since ive been on.i got 1 opening day.i only have internet on my wii so i dont have pics.im gonna try to get them on another computer.long story short......me and my buddy heard birds a ways from us and decided to stay put.nothin near us so we move down a little.still nothin.i sneak to the edge of the field and there they are struttin for thier hens 100 or so yds away.we watch them walk to the next field,i say i know where they are headed.we let them go for a while then decided to stalk.we went down over a ledge and moved in on em'.we sneak on this field and see the birds maybe 80 yds out.so at this point we r still 25 yds in a brush field off the plowed field.....so in we go 20 yds closer,ive already shed my pack at this point and rjhulbert (user name on here)grabs a decoy....somethin i didnt even think of.so he hands me that and i go put it out belly crawl style.now we are 5 yds off the field and right behind the decoy.....so im like well we better move over a little in case we can get these in.and before we move out of the corner of my eye i see a strutter we never saw comin in.and mean within 30 seconds of me puttin this decoy out.im wondering how he didny see my arm cause i put it 2 feet in the field(more focused on the ones 70 yds out).so my buddy is on his belly and im on my hands and knees.the thing just keeps comin.my gun is on the ground and im not ready at all.i say to my buddy hes gonna walk right in front of your gun so kill him.he gets within 6 yds of us and im like take him man come on take him.hes like i cant see him.at this point i can see him blinking.im like u GOTTA shoot now.hes like oh now i see em he moves his barrel and it sets off an alarm and starts runnin.40-45 yds later i finally get on him with my red dot(not wanting to steal his bird/sun in the scope is y it was so far)boom bird down.specs were....if u r still reading 22lbs digital scale(rapala) 8 1/4 beard 3/4 spurs.not the big boy but got my heart pumpin. 53.5 points by my calcs ill try for the pics

[buckblaster]

Congrats on the bird sounds like a good hunt

[upstatehunter]

Good job! That does sound like it was exiting.

[Stuck-on-Seven]

Went out last night and roosted 2 toms and 4 hens....got set up on em this morning with my dad we were about 75 yards apart so we would have a better chance at gettin one....first gobble was about 100 yards behind us...second was directly behind me about 50 yards....i hear the hens start tree callin and clucking......i hear my dad make a few calls with no response.....about 10 minutes later i hear 2 birds fly down...both hens...they start yelping and clucking....i turn my head and i see a hen 5 feet away from me  walking right by never even looked at me....she continued up the small hill in the plowed field to my left (where the other hen was)....ii hear my dad make another call and gobble gobble right on top of me....i turn my head to look through the brush and i see a full fan tom walkin out into the field.....i swing my gun to the right quickly while he isnt looking, let him take a couple steps into a clearing and i hammer him.....15 yard shot with the H&R 10 put him down......10 inch beard, 1 inch spurs and 22 lbs.....i have all the required pics just gotta get the film developed and my printer up and running to scan em on here but the score is 62....will post pics when i get everything straightened out......P.S. still got 1 more tag!!

[buckblaster]

Sounds like an exciting hunt.Congrats hopefully you and your dad can fill the rest of the tags

[Stuck-on-Seven]

left spur

right spur

beard


ok i know im missing one pic and i just got the film developed and most of the pics are a tad dark....i do have pics of the spurs on the legs but the beard measurement pic did not come out (stupid disposable cameras)....i took these quick ones at home on the digital cam....i hope no one has a problem with the pics of the beard/spurs not being attached to the bird but in the pic i post of myself and the bird you will see that im not trying to pull a fast one on anyone..this really was a BIG bird and its my personal best....enjoy these pics for now

[WhiteTail Madness]

Nice bird man!!!!!!  looks like 10 1/4 on beard length?? Nice!  once you get them other pics up score your bird and we'll add you to the leaders board.

[Stuck-on-Seven]

ya like two or three of the beard "hairs" were at 10 1/4 but i wasnt sure if you would count it as that so i just kept it at a definite 10...if you think i should bump it up though i would be more than happy too  ....still trying to get the other pic up of me the bird and weapon waitin on my cuz to fix my printer  ....it will definitely be posted up before the deadline

[drobertsinMaryland]

Nice bird Stuck-on-Seven. Congrats

[maineduckhunter]

NO PICS....Took the first one I saw....
16.5 pounds
7 1/2 inch beard
7/8 Spurs

Then got yelled at for called them off his bird feeder!!!

[WhiteTail Madness]

Duck hunter... AWESOME!!!! Called off the bird feeder, that is a GREAT story!

if hes got hairs touching 10 1/4, his beard length is 10 1/4.  Just like measuring fish for a tourny, as long as you can get the end of that tail to touch 14... Hes in the livewell!

[bogmanjr]

NO PICS....Took the first one I saw....
16.5 pounds
7 1/2 inch beard
7/8 Spurs

Then got yelled at for called them off his bird feeder!!!

congratulations Adam, let me guess the turkeys belong to the guy with the bird feeded? 

[upstatehunter]

Seems as long as you were legal distance from his house you were good to go. 500' here. So that being said great job duckhunter.

[Stuck-on-Seven]

ok when i get the other pic up i will redo the score with the 10 1/4 i wasnt sure how you guys wanted to score the beards so i kept it at a solid 10 at first........funny you got that one off the bird feeder because my birds crop was loaded with bird seed