If you have something in general to say to our team members this is the thread for it. Can just be anecdotes or stories really about anything pertaining to the contest or how your 2024 season's going.
Congratulations to squidd on the first bird posted!!!! Nice hooks on that sucker! Way to go, way to show them we are not playing games here!!!!!! :blob10:
Squid congrats to you buddy!.
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Congrats! On the board :icon_thumright:
Bang! Way to go squidd!
Hey good luck to the guys starting this weekend - work weekend at hunt camp so I'll only be able to listen and look-bummer!!
Attention to all Longbeards (aka the best of the best, the elite if you will) :
We have to post our pictures properly or we will lose points. Make sure before you post, you read the posting rules carefully. I will try to summarize the main points here:
1. This is an "all in good fun" contest with no reward, so please be honest.
2. Pictures must be posted within 7 days or harvest.
3. One picture must clearly show the hunter in the picture with the bird.
4. You must show the gobbler on a scale for weight.
5. You need a picture of the beard length, from hairline to tip of longest "hair feather" with a tape ruler in the picture.
6. Likewise you need to show each spur length measurement with the tape ruler running around the outside curve.
7. And finally you need to show a piece of paper with your screen name, harvest date, and all your accurate written measurements
8. In order to score your bird, all measurements should be converted to decimal form (see Shannon's chart, it's easy) and then tallied up using scoring calculator to give you your score. I will enter your score next to your name in the running score thread. If you kill a "better" bird I will replace your score with the higher scoring bird.
9. At the end of the competition our top nine birds team birds (only 1 per hunter) will be used to determine or team score.
If anyone needs help scoring or converting numbers or posting anything I will help you. If anyone reads this and wants to add or correct something I wrote please feel free to help! This is all new to me too. Thanks!
Thanks Zobo and added a self portrait - so a screen shot of the scoring tool with a written note will not count as legit, it must be on a piece of paper?
Quote from: squidd on March 11, 2024, 04:51:41 PM
Thanks Zobo and added a self portrait - so a screen shot of the scoring tool with a written note will not count as legit, it must be on a piece of paper?
I think you got it. You don't show a scale shot for weight, but you put in 14 lbs the default low weight. It looks good to me. I'm going to post your score
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: First bird up! Congrats squidd! Team Longbeards off to a quick start. :you_rock:
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A quiet morning. This a new spot I am considering hunting this season. Too much road traffic to listen for birds. Going to have to do all my scouting by foot.
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Do you boys run a trumpet? I bought one from Jack "pappy" Lewis several years ago and believe I'm going to pull it back out this season. I definitely need the practice.
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@ greentrout - feel your your pain and especially if it's a school bus or truck!!
@ Jwall - mainly homemade wingbones and pot calls. I have everything else except a scratch box and push pin, just don't use them
Quote from: Jwall on March 12, 2024, 11:41:41 AM
Do you boys run a trumpet? I bought one from Jack "pappy" Lewis several years ago and believe I'm going to pull it back out this season. I definitely need the practice.
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I can run a trumpet but I've had very limited success with one, not enough to make me intentionally carry it every hunt. I really like a Wingbone. I picked up a couple of EZ's and those things are so much better sounding than any trumpet I've bought. I'll definitely be carrying one of those this season
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I went and scouted two properties in Mississippi this morning and they are so overgrown with briars they aren't huntable. I didn't hear and birds either so I guess I'm back to waiting on Tennessee opener.
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Quote from: Jwall on March 14, 2024, 12:53:33 PM
I went and scouted two properties in Mississippi this morning and they are so overgrown with briars they aren't huntable. I didn't hear and birds either so I guess I'm back to waiting on Tennessee opener.
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Know of a couple of properties in maryland that have tons of birds on them but they are giant briar patches so they are really difficult to hunt without spending a ton of time learning the huntable areas.
Quote from: ruination on March 14, 2024, 01:04:42 PM
Quote from: Jwall on March 14, 2024, 12:53:33 PM
I went and scouted two properties in Mississippi this morning and they are so overgrown with briars they aren't huntable. I didn't hear and birds either so I guess I'm back to waiting on Tennessee opener.
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Know of a couple of properties in maryland that have tons of birds on them but they are giant briar patches so they are really difficult to hunt without spending a ton of time learning the huntable areas.
This was an 80 and 50 acre parcels that had pines cut from it about 5 years ago and now it's overgrown without any hardwoods or cleared openings.
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Quote from: Jwall on March 14, 2024, 02:21:50 PM
Quote from: ruination on March 14, 2024, 01:04:42 PM
Quote from: Jwall on March 14, 2024, 12:53:33 PM
I went and scouted two properties in Mississippi this morning and they are so overgrown with briars they aren't huntable. I didn't hear and birds either so I guess I'm back to waiting on Tennessee opener.
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Know of a couple of properties in maryland that have tons of birds on them but they are giant briar patches so they are really difficult to hunt without spending a ton of time learning the huntable areas.
This was an 80 and 50 acre parcels that had pines cut from it about 5 years ago and now it's overgrown without any hardwoods or cleared openings.
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Yea, these properties have that exact same problem. They are just larger so they arent all garbage.
Two gobblers on the board already. You guys are killin' it! Congrats Tomtom. :icon_thumright:
Nicely done TomTom!!
Nice going TomTom, I added your gobbler to the score board. :z-guntootsmiley:
The big boys are gobbling and the time is almost here, thankfully! I went to my gal Charlie's horse farm today and gave her her seasonal gift, 200 rounds of CCI mini mags. I asked her if she wanted some wine and she shook her head and said "nah, keep the ammo coming." lol! Sounds funny coming from a 4'8" 80 year old little pit bull of a lady! She still rides most days and carries a .38 on her hip. I will post a picture eventually, she's pretty awesome.
Sounds like a tough old New Englander. Those long cold winters will do that.
Holy Buckets - nice bird CQ!! Looking forward to hearing more about the hunt!
Boys, I've been out 3 times and at this moment the birds are 3 and I'm 0. Guess we will try it again tomorrow after church and then I head to SD next weekend to try my luck out there.
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Quote from: Jwall on April 27, 2024, 07:26:35 PMBoys, I've been out 3 times and at this moment the birds are 3 and I'm 0. Guess we will try it again tomorrow after church and then I head to SD next weekend to try my luck out there.
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Just a matter of time, keep on em, good luck!
GL Zobo and nicely done on the other birds this past weekend!
Closest I had in GA was one hung up at 100-yds and he didn't want to play.
Only bonus was picking black raspberries with my daughter for jam and cobbler!!
:morning: Strike one for Zobo.
It was my first outing and let's just say it was a rough start. Spilled my coffee, forgot my face mask and my phone. Got my finger caught in the gun's pump action while loading which caused my to scream an obscenity afield :z-dizzy:
My calling sucked, woodsmanship was a C- and overall effort in the F range. Too much Grappa last night to work the yelpers in the morning.
Too much overall merrymaking with the gents at turkey camp. And when I get hammered I start playing the mandolin, I'm not a banjo guy, and all hell breaks loose.
Tomorrow will be better :drool: I got a fix on a group of hard gobblers. I heard them as I was leaving just after noontime I believe .:begging:
Strike two for Zobo.
Called in a lone hen. Then called in a hen with gobbler in tow but they hung at 60 + yards. She must have seen me move I suppose. Lots of gobbling this morning which is nice, it's been pretty rainy however.
Gents, from looking at our scores compared to the other teams, we are getting beat like a snare drum lol
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Quote from: Jwall on May 12, 2024, 04:48:04 PMGents, from looking at our scores compared to the other teams, we are getting beat like a snare drum lol
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It's all about the comradery and fun. Turkey hunting is tough for everyone, luck plays a huge part in harvesting every Tom. You guys got some fine birds, you should be proud. The contest has no winners, and losers; just a group of fellow hunters sharing their experiences and having a great time....
There are some good hunters out there with some good property!
I've had years where I never harvested a turkey and blessed with two this year
:turkey2: :turkey2:
Quote from: squidd on May 13, 2024, 08:16:41 AMThere are some good hunters out there with some good property!
I've had years where I never harvested a turkey and blessed with two this year
:turkey2: :turkey2:
Congrats!
Congrats, guys! Tom summed it up nicely. It's all about the fun and having a few chuckles. Loved your photo montage Zobo. That was pretty well thought out.
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Sometimes the bad guys just win, life's not a fairy tale.