Yesterday morning, I got off work slightly after 7:30am.. I was meeting my father who's been tagged out in MD for a bit and we were off to the turkey woods.. Walking away from the truck at about 8:20 with nothing gobbling at first. Heard a distant bird and slowly picked in that direction which ended up being right through some THICK stuff. Took a while to work through that, but when we finally got out to the other side I yelped and and bird cuts me off hard 3-4 notes in.. probably only 80 yards out. I pick a close tree, take 4 steps when suddenly a nested hen flushes all but right under my foot behind me, flies out directly between my father and I and crashes out through the tree limbs... GREAT.. that's not good. We set up, wait a little and I yelp again.. he gobbles and he's father out.. Tried to get him worked up, but he just wasn't going to get too hot, but I wasn't giving up on him despite him being a little spooked over the hen.. just need some time. He'd pace back and forth, working a pattern in more open woods out in front of us. After a bit of going quiet on him, he gobbles a bit farther out.. this is my window. We hop up and move 60 yards to the edge of the pattern he'd been working.
From the new location, he started to get more responsive. Another bird gobbled a few times WAY out there and I hoped that would quicken his pace. I could tell he was hung up in another clearing in these woods (still pretty thick where I was).. finally, I see him move through a lane I had, maybe 30 yards out.. I didn't shoot and instantly regretted it when he moves behind some trees/brush and seems to vanish for a little too long. I give a three note yelp and he hammers it, ok he's still right there. Now he steps out into my next window.. this time I shoot and 24 yards away at 9:55, he meets a load of hevi 6s.
I get up to the bird and instantly focus my eyes on his spurs.. I know they're nice but he's kicking and I've learned my lesson there before. I can tell he's got another beard. Dad comes over and lifts his feet up in excitement over his hooks, now I can see at least 3 but he's still flopping so he puts him down and lets him expire.. finally roll him over and start counting.. breathing became difficult at 6 and still had some to go.. 10.. 10... are you kidding me?! 10 beards!!! Words just couldn't explain the excitment that went along with being there next to the biggest spurred bird I've ever seen, plus counting 10 beards on his chest.
Now, since I've been serious into turkey hunting, the holy grayl of birds has been the elusive 1 1/2"er.. It's my white whale.. I've been close, but haven't crossed that line yet.. This was him with 1 5/8" on each leg.. Incredible bird. The beard lengths dropped off quickly, starting at 10 1/8", 3 9/16", 2 1/16", 1 7/8", 4 5/8", 4 3/8", 3 9/16", 9/16", 1 1/4" and 3/4". His breast feathers were bald and as evidence to his efforts this spring had shed some lbs on the John Holmes exercise program, was a mere 16lbs 12oz.
This spring had been nothing short of incredible prior to this bird, and I am extremely thankful to the turkey gods.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc18/drmnhipster/DSCN0165_zpsbafb8dde.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/drmnhipster/media/DSCN0165_zpsbafb8dde.jpg.html)
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc18/drmnhipster/DSCN0169_zps0c8bfd21.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/drmnhipster/media/DSCN0169_zps0c8bfd21.jpg.html)
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc18/drmnhipster/DSCN0174_zpsd9d666c4.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/drmnhipster/media/DSCN0174_zpsd9d666c4.jpg.html)
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc18/drmnhipster/10-beards2_zpsba54a6f8.jpg) (http://s214.photobucket.com/user/drmnhipster/media/10-beards2_zpsba54a6f8.jpg.html)
That will make for a good spring. Congrats.
I'd be like "Ok I'm done, time to hang it up till next spring"...Maybe...Maybe not.
And a Big Congrats!
That's a good one, congrats!
Congrat's on a awesome bird. Them spurs are unreal. Plus ten beard is cool.
Once in a Lifetime Trophy!
Wow! I'd have that stud mounted for sure!
Congrats!
U shoulda mounted that hoss
WOW! what a beast. Congrats.
Way to go Derek!!! :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
That's what you call "Once in a lifetime!"
Wow! That has to be some sort of record!?!? Wtg!
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That's a bird of a lifetime right there!!! Congrats
Awesome bird. Congrats!
:happy0064: Wow!! Congrats!!
Absolutely Awesome. You might want to check the records. I've never heard of a turkey with that many beards. It also looked like a couple of nipples where other beards might have grown out of if he wasn't dead.
TRKYHTR
wow!! congrats
He would have been a good one next year ;)
What an incredible bird. I would be green with envy over the spurs alone, but throw in 10 beards? Awesome. I don't think you will ever top that one. Wasn't it you that posted up a good multiple bearded bird a year or two back?
Pretty neat right there
Way cool, those spurs are the best!!!
Stud of a bird! Congrats.
Wow!!!!! Congrats on an incredible bird. :icon_thumright:
That is an absolute BEAST!!!!!!!!! Congratulations. :happy0064:
Man congrats on an awesome bird!!
Those spurs are great! with ten beards, definetly a one of a kind bird. CONGRATS!
Amazing bird congrats!!
That is the crazziest biggest bird I've ever seen. I never would of thought a turkey could have ten beards. I probably would of fainted when I got up to it.
Awesome Gobbler..... Congrats.......
Pimp turkey! Congrats!!!
Quote from: NYbassman on May 18, 2013, 06:26:44 PM
He would have been a good one next year ;)
What an incredible bird. I would be green with envy over the spurs alone, but throw in 10 beards? Awesome. I don't think you will ever top that one. Wasn't it you that posted up a good multiple bearded bird a year or two back?
Yep, 2011 killed a big 7 beard in a completely different state. He's on the wall now which is why I cut the beards off this one and didn't take him to the taxidermist...
Congrats ! Great Gobbler ! :icon_thumright:
vaturkey :newmascot:
Never even heard of that, unreal, congrats
Totally incredible to shoot 7 and 10 bearded birds. I'd hazard to say no one has ever shot 2 birds with a total of 17 beards. Quite the accomplishment.
That's a awesome bird. Those hooks are sick. 10 beards is amazing. Congrats!
congrats truly an amazing trophy
:z-guntootsmiley:
Very nice going,congrats!
Quote from: Jay on May 19, 2013, 04:56:56 AM
Totally incredible to shoot 7 and 10 bearded birds. I'd hazard to say no one has ever shot 2 birds with a total of 17 beards. Quite the accomplishment.
Indeed!
The most beards on one bird that I found in the record books is 9 so you may have a record with total # of beards
WOW ! :icon_thumright:
Congrats! Awesome bird.. :icon_thumright:
Great bird, great story and great analogy concerning his excercise plan!
Congrats on an incredible turkey!!!
Congrats on a great bird!!
Outstanding bird! 10 birds is way cool and he has the hooks to go with them...STUD :you_rock:
Congrats, thats an awesome bird, 10 beards is almost unheards of
awesome tom, big congrats
did you tally up his nwtf score?
gotta be pushin 100
Wow!!!!!!! Congrats
Quote from: Illini Tom on May 20, 2013, 09:46:48 AM
awesome tom, big congrats
did you tally up his nwtf score?
gotta be pushin 100
114 5/8
Your logic is mystifying.
That's a truly world class animal and you chose not to commemorate it with a mount because you have a bird with 7 beards? I know no one who would say, "well, I just shot this 220" buck but I'm not going to mount it because I killed a 180" two years ago.
Congrats on your kill but that bird deserved better than that. I can assure you, you'll never kill one with that pairing of spur length and multiple beards again.
Congrats Derek, that's the icing on a heck of a year. As for all the comments, not your bird, not your decision. I've seen the other bird, he makes a better mount. Not everyone insists on filling their walls with turkeys.
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on May 20, 2013, 10:16:56 PM
Your logic is mystifying.
That's a truly world class animal and you chose not to commemorate it with a mount because you have a bird with 7 beards? I know no one who would say, "well, I just shot this 220" buck but I'm not going to mount it because I killed a 180" two years ago.
Congrats on your kill but that bird deserved better than that. I can assure you, you'll never kill one with that pairing of spur length and multiple beards again.
Yeah you should of spread his ashes across a beautiful meadow full of hens or built and cross and stuck it in the ground where you killed him with a poem about death and the after life on it. ::)
Definitely interested in seeing how the bird would score...he has got to be a major record.
Congrats on a super bird!
:o :o :o
unbelievable :drool:
WOW!
That is a record breaking bird!!!! Wow congrats on a fine lifetime trophy
:drool: Thanks for sharing the story and photos ! way to score and score big ! trophy of a lifetime that one is !!.
Incredible gobbler!!! Congrats on a real trophy!!! :you_rock: :icon_thumright:
WOW Congratulations!
Great story and beautiful bird. That gobbler had some great hooks. !0 beards? unbelieveable. Nice job.
That's a bird of 2 lifetimes!
What a STUD !!!
Congrats :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Derek that things looks unreal no matter what site you're on! Got to be WORLD RECORD!
Man O Man, what an amzing bird! Congrats on a once in a lifetime turkey, and thanks for sharing the pictures. That is awesome!
Simply AWSOME!!!!!!!!! :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
What a fantastic gobbler! ...Looks like he could have had up to six more beards, too! I have to agree that I would have had to get that one mounted, regardless of how many other gobblers I might have already. Nice thing about it it that you still can,...if you keep the beards and feet intact, you could get another cape and get it done.