Today I killed the biggest spurred turkey I ever have. Todays hunt started with 5 Jakes strutting next to my decoy. We moved to another spot and I called in 5 more next to the decoy. We went and had breakfast and drove some quads to the back of this guys ranch we were hunting with. When we topped the ridge we spotted a struttin gobbler with 4 hens. He was about 1 mile away and a long way down hill from where we were. We decided to make the commitment to go after him. There was also another gobbler but he wasn't strutting and a few more Jakes. We got as close as we could because of the property line and started calling. I was using the NWTF Grand Slam travel call and they were eating it up, but not moving. After a few hours we were almost getting ready to leave and Joshua pulled out his slate call. He started calling and then doing a fighting purr. I had a mouth call in and so I started fight purring as well. Then I threw in a few gobbles and the turkeys gobbled hard to it. The next gobble was closer and we could tell it was moving. Then a gobbler popped out on the ridge and I could instantly see it was a Jake. A big beautiful Jake at that. By this time I was a Jake expert since we had called in 13 so far. He came right to the decoy and then mozzied off. The a hen started yelping back and we could tell she was closer and moving. Then 3 hens and 2 Jakes popped out down below us at 150 yards. They moved there way toward our set up and calling. Then I hear Joey say the hen has a beard. I got to lookin and sure enough you could see it swinging. They went out of site due to the lay of the land and when they appeared they were right on top of the decoy. Then the bearded hen went into full strut. Not this half strut you see sometimes but full blown strut. She was madder than a wet hen. The other hen was standing facing the decoy and was pecking the head of Monique, my decoy. The another gobbles rang out and I spotted a Full fan coming over the ridge. He spotted all the commotion on the hillside and started jogging right for us. He went out of sight because of the land and I could hear him spitting and drumming but couldn't see him. The bearded hen at this time started puttin and walking away. Then things got serious. One of the Jakes got up on the decoy and started breeding Monique. When the gobbler saw this he ran right up in the middle of the action but he was met by the other Jake. They began to fight right in front of us. The other Jake was still on the decoy. The big gobbler finally game me a shot and I asked Joey of he had him in the camera. He said yes and I CLICKED. I had forgot to load my gun after the quad ride. I had 2 shells in the magazine so I pulled the action back and pushed a shell into the chamber. This was all happening in hyper speed. The fight was still going on and I finally got on the gobbler again and asked if he was on camera when I got the OK I put the hammer down on the big gobbler. The Jakes began to beat him on the ground so I ran then off. When I reached the turkey I almost had a heart attack when I saw his spurrs. 1 5/8" and 1 1/2" sharp as razors. He had a 9 3/4" beard and was 20.8 lbs. The shot was at 2:50 pm and we had hunted all day. I have some of the best video footage you ever saw. I can't wait to get it downloaded. Thank the good Lord for a phenomenal day.
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/102_2699.jpg)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/102_2698.jpg)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/102_2703.jpg)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/102_2706.jpg)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/102_2716.jpg)
Man, those are some daggers!!! Beautiful country you were hunting there.
Beautiful Turkey, Awesome Spurs, Great looking country!!! Congrats Joe on a whopper.
great turk joe those are some hooks.
congrats on a great bird... awesome story!!!!!
Quote from: TRKYHTR on April 02, 2011, 11:23:03 PM
One of the Jakes got up on the decoy and started breeding Monique.
Sorry to hear that Joe, you're going to have to cut your hunts short for the rest of the season and let her go nest.
Those needles are AWESOME Joe! Congrats on a Super Stud! :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock:
Quote from: hobbes on April 02, 2011, 11:27:09 PM
Beautiful Turkey, Awesome Spurs, Great looking country!!! Congrats Joe on a whopper.
:agreed: :toothy12: :toothy12: :newmascot:
Those are some beauty spurs right there. Good bird!
Awesome hunt bro, look forward to the video. I just about crapped myself when you sent me that picture message with those things LOL!!!
God Bless
congrats!
Shane
Be careful now Joe.... You could poke an eye out with those things. DANG!!!
Congrats :icon_thumright:
Al
Can't wait to see this video, that is an awesome bird
Now that's a trophy! :z-winnersmiley:
Great bird, those are some nasty hooks. :icon_thumright:
Dang Joe, I just cut myself looking at them spurs!! :toothy12:
I'm tickled for ya!! Super bird, and great hunt, particularly to have it filmed as well!!
Sorry to read about Monique, she reads like a pretty dedicated decoy to go through all that for you. You better keep her.
Look forward to the video.
God Bless,
David B.
You da MAN Joe!!! Congratulations on an awesome bird! You gonna stick some stuffing in him or slap him on the grill? Way to go bro!
nice bird,them is some daggers for sure.
Nice!! :icon_thumright:
Joe !!!!! that is a Hoss!!!! whoooweee !!!!!!! good hunt and good story too!!! make sure to have that one mounted !!!
BTW you always take the nicest pictures --Shannon
Very nice
Quote from: Lumpy on April 02, 2011, 11:57:42 PM
Awesome hunt bro, look forward to the video. God Bless
Yeah cant wait to see that hunt
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Great story, great bird!
Great bird Joe!!!!!!! That is awesome man!
That is a fine bird.
That`s awesome. Great bird , great action, great hunt altogether. :you_rock: :you_rock:
Sounds like a fantastic hunt!! Congrats on a great bird!! Can't wait to see the video!!
Congrats, Joe. Now that's what I'm talkin' about. That is the Studasaurus Rex Maximus..Well done, boys. By the way, if Monique has pups I would be interested in one.. :icon_thumright: Mike
Sounds like a great day in the turkey woods Joe ! Congrats on a fine gobbler ! :icon_thumright:
:newmascot:
Congrats on a awesome bird!!! :icon_thumright:
Awesome bird Joe....Congrats.
Holy Hooks Batman ! What a great bird and even on video. Congrats! Are you going to mount it yourself? You need that jake so you can mount them in a fighting pose ;D
Congrats great bird :icon_thumright:
Congrats Joe..........That is one heck of a bird :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
pittboss
WOW!!! Congrats
gorgeous bird joe and a fantastic story of the hunt.
:newmascot:
Very nice gobbler,congrats!!
Looks like you killed Turkzilla! That is an awesome bird, congrats! :icon_thumright:
Awesome bird Joe. Congrats!!
:you_rock: :you_rock:
Great bird and great story. Congrats!!
:icon_thumright:
Congrats, great looking bird :z-guntootsmiley:
Congrats on the GREAT gobbler Joe!!
Congrats Joe!
That's awesome :icon_thumright:
Great bird, great spurs and great pics! Congrats! :icon_thumright:
Man am I late to the party, but AWESOME!!!! Great for you, those are daggers for sure. Congratulations Joe, can't wait to see the video.
It don't get much better than that Joe, YOU DA MAN! :you_rock:
HC
congrats awesome hooks :z-guntootsmiley:
WOW
Nice bird! That thing's a dinosaur!
Quote from: Tunaguy on April 03, 2011, 08:38:10 PM
Nice bird! That thing's a dinosaur!
:TooFunny:
Nicely worded!!!
God Bless,
David B.
great read and awesome bird!!!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a fantastic job.
Rick
congrats Joe thats a fine looking bird!!!!!!
I know that got your heart pumping. Congrats Joe, a good guy like you deserves a trophy like that.
Wow!!! That is a hog. Congrats Joe!!!
:newmascot:
Very nice,congrats!!
Very, very nice! Got to love a good ol fight! :z-guntootsmiley:
Holy freaking cow
congrats :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Impressive!!! Congrats :you_rock: :icon_thumright:
Awesome bird, nothing better than a big set of hooks!! :icon_thumright:
:icon_thumright: Congrats On A Great Bird!
Mother-Lode aint playin! Way to go Joe! :z-guntootsmiley:
That bird is down right Beautiful!!! Hooks galore!!
Man that's a stud :icon_thumright:
AWESOME Joe! Congrats on a heck of a tom.