Strut Stopper StoryThread

[Dmason3]

Well guys I finally got it done. After being more than excited for this season it turned into my worst season yet. This was only the 2nd Tom I called into my set up all year. The first tom got spooked at 45 yards a few weeks ago and never came in. I went with a buddy to Kansas and we both struck out there.
Got this guy with 3 days left in this Illinois season. As most of you know we got hammered last week with over ten inches of continual rain that screwed up all of my good spots. I got in the habit of hanging out in spots where I had seen turkeys instead of chasing them.
This morning I was so frustrated that I just decided to go after them and look what happens. Got within a few hundred yards of him this morning while he was gobbling. Got where I thought he would go and set up my lone hen. Total silence for 30 minutes after fly down while other birds are going crazy. Decided that he was henned up and went to pull the deke and chase another bird. Had pulled my hen out of the ground and boom he hammered a hundred yards away. Staked the decoy and took off running. Waited a few minutes and through a few soft yelps out and BOOM he's at 40 yards over my shoulder. Watched him lead a hen towards my decoy through some tall grass, hit the field and immediately strut. He zigzagged straight into my decoy and the Benelli did the rest. It was about 43 degrees with no wind and clear skies. Got to listen to my shot echo and be the exclamation point on an otherwise dismal season. Definitely not my biggest but I'll take him.

10" beard
1" spurs
21.5 pound

For a score of 61.5


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[wvhoyt19]

Congrats!!

[Jroddc]

Congrats!

[bornagain64]

Congrats and nice job Dmason. I am the same way, I like to sit as long as I can and stay in an area if I know there are birds there. BUT, after a few hunts with nothing working, I am on the move. Both are great and both work, just have to try something different.
Busted up that head pretty good.

[turkey harvester]

Heck ya, I hear ya on the flooding. Been crazy here too. Send me a pic of the spurs. I'll go ahead and post it up. Congrats and great story.

[dzsmith]

went to northwest Missouri may 2nd-4th on an archery hunt. waste of time and gas......that's all I have to say. saw one bird in three days and it was a hen. never again

[turkey harvester]

IMO its better hunting in the southern part of the state. A ton of public that nobody ever goes to.

[dzsmith]

except Mississippi folks...they slaughter the public land birds in south Missouri. Yeah this was a archery hunt with an outfitter in exchange for a deer hunt that I had to cancel, so I kinda had to go under the circumstances, I would have never intentionally picked a late season archery hunt. They had birds, lots of gobbling in the AM but they do not hang around the open there at all. couldn't even drive around and see one, couldn't have payed money for a picture of one. even the guide himself saw no birds while I was there. I was in aww literally. with a shotgun , hunting in the woods, I probably could have scrounged up at least one in three days, but stuck in a blind for 7 hours a day in hay fields wasn't exactly ideal. beautiful country though

[North of 8]

Alarm goes off 3:30 and it is raining. Whats new right? That brings the 5 day total at 10.3". But last day of this season and gotta fill my tag. Arrived at my destination and finally stopped raining at 6:10. Had 2 bearded hens walk by me at 5 feet. As I did a couple soft clucks on my Mero snake wood Yelper a big fan appeared. The big boy had 2 hens leading him to my wet and soaked set-up. Taking no chances to watch a game today, lets getter done and celebrate. This just might be in my all time top 5 gobblers. he came in at 24.45 Pounds, he has serious wounds from fightin and those spurs were 1.5" and 1.6". His soaked beard is 10.85". I just wonder how big the other fighter is.
Now to stop in at our great friends and show off the gobbler and enjoy the black coffee with Korbels breakfast at Ed and Ermies.

[bornagain64]

Congrats Noth of 8. It is really hard to get out of bed when the weather is bad, I have slept in a few times.
That bird is a pig, nice job.

[turkey harvester]

Dang that bird is huge!! Congrats, way to stick it out

[Jroddc]

Congrats!

[birdman67]

Congrats to all who harvested a bird. It was a great year in the turkey woods!