Finally

[coon]

Well I finally got on the board. It took a week and a half but i guess better late than never. One of those spurs is 1.25", i know the pic shows it might be a shade under it, but i promise it is. I guess i held the tape wrong or the camera was at a bad angle. Anyway, here it is.

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[coon]

Here's the rest of the pictures.

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[coon]

And for some reason my pictures are tinier than hell. Here are the stats:
Date: 3/30/11
Left spur: 1.25"
Right spur: 1 3/16"
Beard: 11.25"
Weight: 21 lb 2 oz
Total score: 68

[Gobblestopper]

Corey all I can say is you set the bar pretty high for the rest of us.
YOU ARE THE MAN!

Way to stick to it and grind it out!  And then you come in with a monster bird score of 68!  Oh yah, and ABSOLUTELY PERFECT pictures and measurements to prove it.

You are hereby officially awarded the high honor of: Head Hunter Hero Status.  We are not worthy!

Suppose you'll be headed out to get an upgrade bird now!!!

"The Heads Are Gonna Roll!!!"

Lance

   

[ShotgunDave]

Freakin awesome bird!  Congrats. 

We demand a story!

[PANYHunter]

Congrats.  That's a great bird.  x2 on the story

[ncturkey]

Awesome bird. Congrat's. Tell us about the hunt.

[coon]

Well there really wasn't too much of a story but here goes. I had class from 9:30 to 1:45 so I didn't actually get to our property until about 2:15. I had to change into my huntin clothes and get all my stuff together and I was about to head out with out my decoys. I ended up deciding to take them which turned out to be a good thing. The way our property sits is we have about 125 acres of unthinned 13 year old pines on top of a hill that gives way to a beautiful hardwood bottom. My dad just recently purchased 80 acres of those hardwoods, which makes my hunting alot more normal/easier. We have a pipeline that runs thru our pines into the bottom. I used to have to just sit on the pipeline since they were just passing thru, but now since we have some of those hardwoods I can hunt all that. Anyway, back to the story. My plan was to head out into the bottom and try to locate one and hunt him. But I left the truck and walked down the pipeline to where i can see down into the bottom, I saw a bird scratchin down in there. I couldnt tell what it was, so i backed up and did a few yelps to see if it was a gobbler, or if there was a gobbler with the hen i might be looking at. Well he immediately answered. So i set out my pretty boy and hen in the middle of the pipeline and sat on the edge behind them. As i finished movin some stuff around, i looked up and saw a white head lookin over the hill. He gobbled again and started struttin. He would walk a little further, look, and strut. He finally had enough of that decoy and trotted on up to it. As soon as he gave me a shot, which was at 11 steps, i shot. Now here comes the interesting part. As normal, he flopped around for a couple minutes and stopped. I checked him out, put all my stuff up, took some pictures, and then i noticed that he wasnt all the way dead. I touched his eye and he blinked and i could tell he needed a good head stompin'. When i stomped on his head, he jumped up about 4 feet, ran in a circle and then just stood there. I was frightened and amazed at the same time. So i immediately got my phone out and started taking pictures of him standin there and got some video of him too for proof. I pushed on him and he would kinda stumble back and look at me. I guess when i initially shot, he was so close alot of my pattern missed because it didnt break his neck. I know he would have eventually died but regardless, it was the craziest thing ive ever seen. A bird i shot almost 10 minutes earler was walkin around with his eyes open. Anyway, i put another round in him so he wouldnt get away, and toted him back to the truck. If i can find a way to post that video and pics of him standin up ill do it.

[gophert]

NOW THAT IS A GREAT STORY.

Best way to make sure they are dead, (after you weigh them of course) is to field dress them. 

You GOT TO post those pics and video.  CONGRATS!!!!!!

[PANYHunter]

Congrats. Great story  Can't wait to see the video. 

[ncturkey]

Cool story.

[wildcat14]

Great Bird! Congrats!

[Crappiepro]

Great Bird!!! I can't wait to get out there! Great story and Congrats on the score! Way to start us out!

[Odessa]

CONGRATULATIONS!  Great story too - wow, what a gobbler!!   

[perkis]

Congratulations and a helluva good job getting us started out right!