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ARCHIVED OLD GOBBLER TURKEY HUNTING TEAM CONTESTS => 2020 Old Gobbler Turkey Hunting Team Contest => 2021 Old Gobbler Turkey Hunting Team Contest => TEAM STRUT STOPPERS 2020 => Topic started by: turkey harvester on February 07, 2020, 12:56:37 PM
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This is where we want to hear your story. Tell us the details too
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Opening day. Public land, had to get to the gate real early to beat the crowd. Didn't stop them because 2 guys pulled in and literally followed me anyway. They drove by several times while i was sitting at my vehicle, and it became apparent that they weren't going to acutally pull in until they knew I was gone. so I began my walk and didn't make it 100 yards and they looped right back in. "cowards" Very little gobbling, struck this bird up about 830. The 2 guys which couldn't have been more than 100-150 yards from me, started calling to the bird....and he went silent. Then one of them decided to make a move while calling and I heard putting in the distance....I figured it was game over, so I threw another call out there, nothing to lose at this point if hes busted hes busted. I don't know what bird was putting...but after I made that call the bird drumming was within shotgun range I just couldn't see him because I was literally on a flat hilltop. the two guys continued to call, it was obvious at this point wherever they were they could see the bird because they were giving it all they had. The bird finally gobbled at them, and when he did, I couldn't let that happen so I hammered down on the box as hard as could with a series of cuts to drown them out. The bird gobbled and as soon as I saw his head come over the hilltop I let him have it.I yelled to the other hunters in the woods hoping they would make that 100 yard walk to see the bird they tried to sweep from me....but as most of the cowards im accustomed to being around in the Mississippi hunting community ...they simply walked off. A glorious victory in my book. Decent 2 year old bird. 1" spurs, 18.5lbs 8.5" beard. I usually kill a relatively early season bird, but I haven't killed a technical opening day bird in 6 years, grant it I haven't been able to get off work always either. I had a goal to just be able to get a bird this year while working a shutdown "6 days a week" and that goal is now complete. So with a little luck I should have the time to get another one on my day off here and there.
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Congrats. Unfortunately I deal with some of those same guys here on Fl public land.
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Congrats. Unfortunately I deal with some of those same guys here on Fl public land.
you know, I put boots on the ground and scout/ roost multiple birds in multiple places so when I pull up to a gate and somebody else is there I can simply …..go somewhere else. Ive never understood why people do what they do....But I know this, they got to watch him die.....
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Great job and good story. Unfortunately most of us have run into public land situations as you did. Usually the outcome is that nobody gets the bird...I'm glad you came through!
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Glad you got him. Some people are jerks! I had a couple guys come in on me and ruin a hunt last year. Let’s solve a quick word problem. My truck is parked there, there’s a gobbling turkey, where do you think I’m going to be?
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#2 public land. 7.25" beard. 1" spurs. 19.5lbs. Not too bad for my schedule. I can relax ...and slow down if I wish. Or try to get number 3 as quick as possible before I get quarantined at my job due to the corona virus.
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Nice job again.
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Awesome dzsmith! Way to get us going! Congrats
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Congrats!
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Heck Ya!!! way to go. Dang son your already stacking them up. Congrats
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Great story.
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Tagged out in home state. Like ive mentioned multiple times this year, im working a shutdown so time is few and far between to hunt. Well....I was off work last night so I got to go this morning. The reports from my fellow lease members is that birds are not gobbling much and pretty much only on the limb. Well the last 2 times ive been I have found this to be true....but with the threat of the virus heating up, I knew my time to get a third bird was becoming limited so I decided to go hard this morning. Got to the woods to my listening spot before daylight. Didn't hear my first gobble until 650. I only heard 2 birds they both gobbled twice on the limb and they were about as far as you could physically hear one. They were actually not even on the lease property I believe. I made my way their direction being a bird was not roosted where I had hoped. I decided id have to just cover ground this am and try to strike one up. Well 9 oclock rolls around , ive probably covered 2 miles at least stopping to locate every few hundred yards and I make it to a spot that's been good to me over the years. Its just simply a road between a cutover and private land. I hit my box call and I realized I had actually passed up a spot I had killed a bird at a couple years ago, so I walk about 100 yards back to that spot and hit the call again and I hear a very distant and faint gobble. It sounded like one of the birds I had heard on the limb that morning. and he was all the way on the far end of the private block. Well....being im literally on the boundary, I tell myself ...its 9 oclock hes more than likely alone for the morning, and ive killed a bird at this exact tree not once but twice in the past I might as well, see if I can drag him up here. So I hit the call again with some aggressive cutting and he gobbles again. With no where to really sit being its like woods, a road , and 5 year old cutover I walk to a different tree where I can see a little better and sit down. I hit my call again and hes a little closer and he has squared up with my location. Well at least hes making a move reguardless if he comes or not. I sit there in silence and the next gobble hes probably 150 yards or so.....At this point im like well...its gonna happen, but I don't know if ill be able to see him , no real setup options....again its the property line. So I hear him start to drum and finally I see him. I have a row of bushes at my 2 oclock position. I was hoping hed strut back and forth until I got a shot but no he only strutted behind the bushes...the bushes were in front of me just a few yards....he was actually in the open so it was me not him. He strutted for 15 minutes at 30 yards. I did give a few soft yelps the opposite direction to try and move him around but he just kept strutting and at the end of every strut he would erect his head and then keep strutting. This bird actually did picture perfect you couldn't ask for better. At some point I realized hes going to stop strutting and walk off, I can only hope he walks off where I can see him for a shot because its a shame I have a bird strutting at 30 and I cant even shoot him....he quits strutting and I cannot find him....I didn't know what to do , so I started some aggressive cutting on my mouth call figuring id either spook him or he would start drumming again where I could at least hear him. Through a series of vines at my 1 oclock position I see him dancing back and forth trying his hardest to see through the same bushes I cant see him through and im like well hes at 40 yards about to leave his head is up lets see if I can get my bead on him. It was a small shot window like shooting though a hole the size of a coke can but only a maybe a yard in front of my barrel, im either gonna hit it or make it. I typically probably would not do that , but today I did, I pulled the trigger and he began to flop. I did not hit the vine in front of me lol. Long long walk out but well worth it to know my next day off I can sleep in .
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What a morning guys. I started out in a different spot. Heard one gobbling and quickly went to setup on him. He flew down and didn’t seem real interested. I kept whispering in his ear off and on for about 30 minutes. He gobbled and was around 200 yds away. About 30 seconds later, I purred on a slate and he gobbled in my face about 25 yds away. I dropped my slate it shocked me so bad. Haha. He must’ve ran to me. He began to strut and all I could see was the top of his fan. He was over a rise. He went behind a big cedar and I heard that terrible putt. I knew it was game over. He walked off and that was it. I was intending to reset on him when I heard another bird gobble a couple hundred yards away, I decided to try him. I went down and setup in a little green field. I hit a call and he fired back. Then it got crazy. I heard a bird in the distance across a creek gobbling. The next time I called, the bird that I setup on was silent but this other bird was coming. I turned and repositioned just in time to see him fly the creek. He landed right in front of me and strutted around and put on a show for I would say 10 minutes. I let him have it at 25 yds. Bird number 2 is down.
9 1/2 inch beard, 7/8 and 13/16 spurs, 18 lb 8 oz
(https://i.imgur.com/y6faSXZ.jpg)
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Wow y’all are having some good hunts. I went out for the first time this morning with my shotgun. Honestly I’m a little discouraged with my current situation. I love public land but man it’s going to be tough with everyone off work. It was a circus out there today.
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Great morning indeed, nice job guys.
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Great job guys!! Congrats!
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Well I finally had a little success yesterday. The WMA I hunt has been slammed with pressure so I was able to go do a family hunt on one of my brothers farms yesterday for a change of scenery. We split up into two man teams and went to 3 different farms. I will describe this land as a square to make the details easier. We started out in the dark in a low field in NW corner of the property. At daylight a bird gobbled around ten times and flew down. This bird was up on top of the hill in front of us and worked his way over the hill and down onto a neighboring private property. The land line is the top of the hill. Also these hills are more like small mountains! Our next step is we climbed up the hill and began working North East towards the eastern corner. As we get to the NE corner we are also dropping back down a long hill into a bowl type are in the bottom with a field. I call here but get no responses. We make a turn here and head South towards the South East corner. About two hundred yards later we here a gobble way up on top of a hill straight to our side. We climb half way up and set up in a field. The birds were firing off but nothing was coming our way. We climb our way up to the very top and again the property line is right at the top. There are two birds gobbling their heads off just across the line in a pasture. We get up close to the edge and the birds and start calling. They get super excited and I can hear drumming. Finally one works his way over the the edge and walks across. All I can see is his head and neck and I let him have it. At the point turkeys fly and start making all kinds of talk. I start calling and it becomes evident there is a whole pile of birds in there. There are multiple birds gobbling. Eventually they come back in and down the hill towards the last bowl we were in where another bird has started gobbling. As they are walking down the hill it becomes obvious they are all jakes and I have probably killed a Jake. When I get up to the bird it was a Jake. They completely fooled me. These were some serious gobbling jakes. Either way it was a really exciting hunt and I'm happy to have the meat.
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Congrats! Sounds like an exciting hunt for sure
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Awesome sounding hunt. Congratulations on the gobbler
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Congrats...Ive had some close calls where I had to let a bird walk full fan, full gobble, etc. Them super jakes will get ya lol. Nice bird man. way to break the ice.
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Nice job. Exciting hunt, Jake or not.
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Aren't many guys out there that haven't killed a jake some time or other. Congratulations and good eating!
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Things have been crazy and very busy here. I work at the post office and we are still working: and with a lot of people at home and stores closed, seems like everyone is shopping online.
I am gonna try and get out tomorrow for a morning hunt and I have a quota hunt coming up next week.
John
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Ok everyone here’s my story. I’ve taken both of my son’s during the 2 day WV youth season and both days we just couldn’t get a bird to play the game. On Monday, WV opener, I took my youngest son hoping that I could call one in for him but we only heard 1 bird at 6:30 and had 2 hens at our decoys mid morning. Tuesday’s weather was terrible so I went to work. This morning was only 28 degrees and both my boys said they would pass lol. So I started out in our ground blind which was setup at a common roost site. As I approached the blind well before daylight I could tell that the wind had taken a toll from the day before. I tried to fix it at no avail so I sat out the decoys and got in it anyways. I was frustrated to put it lightly. As I sat there and stewed, I began to think of all the things I am blessed with and asked God to forgive me. Then a few gobblers fired up on the limb. I called occasionally after I thought they were on the ground and had one to respond. He continued to get closer and closer. 1 hen came through rather fast then another appeared. He then showed himself at about 85 yds. We played the game for 45 min and he didn’t get any closer than 50 yds. I don’t like taking long shots but my patience ran out haha. I learned a lot today. More about perspective and a lil more about the turkey that we all love to chase!
God bless!
Chris
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Nice. Lol, We usually have a lot of time to think when turkey hunting.
I bet the boys wish that had gone? Lol, works out that way sometimes.
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So true! Yes I always tell them we can’t kill em from the couch haha
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200426/48dfef1fc61192b3a1573b89b6a6466b.jpg)
My best friend from PA came in for 3 days to hunt with me. Friday was a fair amount of rain so we sat in a blind. Called 2 hens and 4 jakes in to our DSD breeding pair set. Those jakes stayed for 2 hours! Friday evening we drove a little over an hour to try and roost some birds and we did. We got home shortly by 10 to only get up at 4 to head back over to that property. The fog was heavy but several gobblers sounded off on the limb. We couldn’t do anything with them so we patiently waited for the fog to lift. We finally struck a bird at 10:30 and went after him. We setup on him only to hear him faintly gobble away. So we took off and walked a long way to get in front of him. 15 min later after a few soft calls and my buddy punched his tag in WV!! The good Lord blessed us with another sunrise and a memory!!
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Good bird man.
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Thanks!
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Nice job. It is great when it all comes together.
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Awesome job gentlemen!! And it’s even better when you have your best friend to share it with!
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My NY season started Friday, May 1, and I was on birds right off the bat. I hunted an area which I've hunted before so pretty much know where they'll be roosting. That being the case, I get in there in the dark...an hour before sunrise (5:54)...and set up. At 5:15 a tom gobbled to my left and behind me. He was gobbling well by himself then about 15 minutes later several gobblers started gobbling to my left and in front, over a knob. They sounded like a mix of toms and jakes, by my guess. After a while the tom flew down my direction but about 50 yards to my left. After he hit the ground I made a call. He didn't respond but several over the knob did. Two toms came by to my left and, although they may have been in range, I wasn't comfortable with the distance and let them walk. Several hens and a couple jakes came over the knob and in front of me.
Saturday, May 2, I hunted a different spot because my farmer buddy has a good friend who hunts and he was going to be hunting on him Saturday. I had some good action...heard a gobbler a half mile away (per my GPS) and started hoofing. Ended up two gobblers...a tom and a jake. Well, as luck would have it, when they finally decided to come in the jake was in the lead. He was about ready to perch on my gun barrel when he finally went bananas. End of game.
So...back to my farmer buddy yesterday. I set up in the same spot figuring I'd be close as I was Friday. That tom was roosted in what seemed to be the same tree as Friday. And he did the same thing as Friday...flew down out of range to my left. I called....he did squat. I made one more call and 2 came up over the knob...a tom and a jake. I shot the tom at 30 yards. As stated previously...3/4" spurs, 8 3/4" beard, 18 1/2 lbs.
Guess where I'll be next time out? Only thing I'll do differently is set up figuring on him being in relatively the same spot. But you know how best laid out plans tend to go...awry!!
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Killed my second NY bird this morning...not an upgrade. Had three toms going and this guy came in following a hen. 17.75#, 7/8" spurs, 9" beard. An "As Found" picture...aka untouched by human hands. Notice some missing tail feathers?...blew a few off. Down to PA starting next Wednesday.
(https://i.imgur.com/qLR1fTEl.jpg)
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Nice job turkeyman.
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Congrats!
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Congrats!
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Keep it going Turkeyman. I miss is so much right now. Wish I could spring for an out of state somewhere.
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I started hunting PA Tuesday the 19th in Potter Co. My objective this year was to hunt areas I've never hunted before. The spot I picked was based upon the PGC website and Google Earth. Heard one not far away. Hen flew to him and they went off together. Only show in town so hung out calling every so often to no avail. Oh well.
Wednesday the 20th. No gobble day in a different area.
Thursday the 21st...different area again. Heard one on the limb at 5:00. Positioned on him in a good setup and let him know I was there. He came in well...to 70 yards...then I lost sight of him. Next I heard from him was his drumming directly behind me at 20 yards on a rock shelf...not good. I slowly turned back that way and saw nothing. When I heard him next he was about 100 yards or so away, checking out. Since I didn't spook him I figured I'd play the game and see what may happen. I set up in a couple different spots and called every half hour or so. At 10:30 he gobbled down in the hollow. I did nothing...he gobbled because he was interested...why would I do anything? At 11:00 I saw him coming in from the left parallel to me. Lights out at 30 yards.
(https://i.imgur.com/Bf6OVm3l.jpg)
As found Pic.
(https://i.imgur.com/lKbHryfl.jpg)
19.3#, 1 1/4" R spur, 1" L spur, 10" & 8" beards.
I hunted today, the 22nd, in a different area and had two gobbling but they were definitely henned up. Due to commitments at home I had to leave by 10:00 and, as luck would have it, I raised one of them at 10:00 with a crow call! I ran a string of yelps at him and nothing. I crow called again after awhile and he gobbled considerably farther away telling me he was with a hen. I left...but I'll be back!
Unfortunately I didn't take the qualifying pictures so, although this bird scores 61.8, it doesn't register in the contest.
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My 2020 season ended yesterday in PA. I went to an even different spot and heard nothing for the third day in a row. But the promising thing was that there was a good amount of sign...something had to be there. My experience is that when everything is quiet...nothing going on...you have to be laid back as well. So I set up in a good spot and started calling every so often...but not a lot. Well, at about 7:00 I ran another string of medium volume yelps and, voila, a gobble not more than 75 yards in front of me! I got lucky because there was a patch of brush between me and them...two longbeards. If the brush hadn't been there they would have seen me grabbing for my gun and getting ready. They were both in full strut walking sideways at about 30 yards. I eased the red dot to where they would come out from behind and killed the second.
Now...if I hadn't ran that string of yelps I'm relatively positive they wouldn't have gobbled and very well may have seen me...I was just sort of hanging out. Pretty much shock gobbles...caught them by surprise.
20.3#, .75" spurs, 9.5" beard
(https://i.imgur.com/jpjeqOml.jpg)
As found.
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Great season guys for what it was worth with covid 19. I look forward to this every year, and I hope to see yal again next year. Good luck in the off season.
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Same here. Really was a different year with the virus and lots of things have changed and some things may never be the same.
It really puts things in perspective of whats really important. I love turkey hunting and look forward to it every spring, but my list of importance is as follows.
1. God
2. Family
3. Work
4. Friends
5. Other stuff- Hunting, Golf, ...
We all have to make the choices that we think are best for us and our families: but living for God will make you better at everything else on your list. You can know that He has your back and best interest in mind, no matter what you face.
Be safe everyone and I look forward to next year!
John
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Sorry I haven’t been on lately. My distillery job is more than I want for a summer job lol. 60 hours a week building stills seems to be all I do. So much for my summer vacation lol. This virus has definitely made things tough for everyone, but turkeys were still harvested. I purely enjoy this contest and all the people on here who share their stories and experiences. You guys rock!!
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Sorry I haven’t been on lately. My distillery job is more than I want for a summer job lol. 60 hours a week building stills seems to be all I do. So much for my summer vacation lol. This virus has definitely made things tough for everyone, but turkeys were still harvested. I purely enjoy this contest and all the people on here who share their stories and experiences. You guys rock!!
Just noticed your signature quote, like it quite a bit and it goes for a lot of things, I see parents doing their kids homework for them instead of teaching them quite often.
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200905/bdf2b0276ad49142c7edefde5a0656fe.jpg)
Hey team! Hope everyone is doing well! I’ve been busy all summer and as we approach deer season and the rut I’m still thinking of the strut! In my spare time I have been making some different turkey displays. This one is red oak and I made it for my turkey hunting buddy. I think he’ll like it. I have a few more and will post them as well. So what has everyone else been doing this summer?
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200905/94aedf0d74a573e6aad0550020a37b7d.jpg)
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200905/1aee28dac68757f39d7f97457407e93c.jpg)
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Very nice, couple beautiful pieces there.
What kind of wood is that on the bigger display?
It has some good figure and curl to it.
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Red Oak plywood. Everything else is solid red oak
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Those look awesome!!
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Thanks!!
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My buddy and I are headed west for a Merriams this coming spring. Has anyone ever hunted them? If so, where? Thanks in advance!
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Those displays look great!
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My buddy and I are headed west for a Merriams this coming spring. Has anyone ever hunted them? If so, where? Thanks in advance!
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Yes. Killed one in Nebraska about 6 years ago.
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Happy new year!!
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