Team #7 "GOBBLE KINGS" Official Site

[Archerysniper]

Congrat's on a awesome bird featherslayer,those beards can rot off or with just all the ice through the winter they can break them off.

Go get them hugonian,no pressure but we are 4 for 4 so far

[hugonian1]

Some might think 5 for 5 would be piling on.

[123fish]

No mercy hugonian, no mercy. 5 for 5 could be a new record. Good luck in Wisconsin.

[Archerysniper]

I will be heading over Sconny tomorrow afternoon and get set up.

Ellsworth Rod & Gun chicken feed for dinner- it doesn't get much better than that.

Hunt Friday thru Sunday.

This will be my 3rd time over there and have yet to score a bird.

Hopefully I can add to the Gobble King's bounty.

Well how did the scouting and blind setting go today?

[Archerysniper]

Our unofficial score so far

Archerysniper 51.5

123fish 58.875

Jackson 63.75

Featherslayer ?

Without Featherslayer we have a unofficial score of 174.125

We are sitting good,Feather slayer and I just need to officially submit our birds

[sticknstring]

You guys are off to a hot start!

[featherslayer 1]

Thought i would share this with you guys. This is my daughter and she lives in the state of Washington. Just to let everybody know she called this bird in by herself and she was hunting alone. I'm hoping to go out there next spring and try for one of them.

[123fish]

Very nice. She looks like she could guide for you featherslayer. Her nail polish goes nicely with the colors on that gobbler. Congrats to her, you obviously brought her up well.

[DonBo]

That is awesome. Good for her! You must have raised her right.

[Archerysniper]

It's awesome that your daughter is out getting it done by herself and a great bird

[hugonian1]

Well guys, I did not get a bird in Wisconsin.

Lots of gobbling in the mornings.

Saw many hens and could have taken jakes but I was holding out for a long beard. Never saw one on the property we were hunting.

We always have a great time over there. We stay with some great people who have taken us under their wing.

Now to get set up for the Minnesota D season.

My buddy that I let hunt my property could only get out on Friday. Shot a tom at 6:00 A.M. Go figure.

Things should be settled down by Thursday.

Hopefully I can get it done and add to the Gobble Kings bounty.

[sticknstring]

Congrats to your daughter feather slayer - beautiful bird! Dad must be proud!

[hugonian1]

Set the blind up this evening.

Had 3 jakes out in the field.

I will have to dance around work Thursday and Friday but will get out in the mornings.

I might be nuts but I am kinda looking forward to the colder weather.

Hopefully the rain is not of the all day variety.

[123fish]

Good luck tomorrow hugonian. We are depending on you. Bring your snowshoes!

[hugonian1]

Yea, I might need it.

Although, I just watched a group of 6 jakes push a nice long beard around out my kitchen window. They are playing cat and mouse with each other.

The rain doesn't seem to be bothering them.

Looks like some territory wars are going on.

Hope the tom prevails.

There sure are a lot of jakes around me this year though.

[hugonian1]

Hey guys, we may need to change our team name to Arby's cause we are 5 for 5.

Got my Tom around 7:15 this morning.

I will get some pics and the story up later.

It was a great encounter.

He will not win any big bird contests but is a respectable 22lb 12oz with a 9.5" beard and 1 1/8" hooks.

I think he is probobly a 3 year old.

Man, turkey hunting can sure put a smile on your face.

[Archerysniper]

Awesome Congrat's and way to go. Should I change our name to TAGGED OUT now?

[sticknstring]

Congrats hugo - that's a good bird! You guys are rolling!

[123fish]

Respectable indeed! That will work for sure. Congrats on a very nice bird hugonian. Looking forward to the story and pics.

[DonBo]

Gobbler Kings look to be the team to beat. Congrats everyone!

[hugonian1]

Well I am finally getting a little time to get my bird submitted and do a quick write up about my hunt.

I had been seeing quite a few turkeys on my property but most were Jakes and Hens. I had let my buddy hunt it during the B season and he took a nice Tom.

I was hunting D season so there was a little time to let things settle down and the birds to keep distributing around the area.

On the Wednesday before my season opened I noticed a nice Tom running accross the property being chased by 6 Jakes. They went back and forth- Jakes chase Tom then Tom chases Jakes. I han never seen this before but it was obvious there was a "turf war" going on. I was hoping the Tom won out.

I had my blind set up in the woods in a draw between 2 field areas. This is usually a great travel corridor.

I put a single Dave Smith Jake decoy out thinking of the "turf war" I had seen the day before between the Tom and group of Jakes.

Here is a picture of the "setup".

I was in the blind by 5:15 Thursday morning. It was a beautiful morning to be out. We did not get hit with the snow that others had gotten the night before so that was a relief.

There was quite a bit of gobbling to the west of my property at daybreak which is pretty normal as that is usually where the birds roost. Around 6:30 I noticed turkeys out in the field west of my property. They were a couple of hundred yards out and it was hard to see thru the brush but I could see several strutters and hens. I was pretty sure it was the group of Jakes that have been hanging around.

Shorly after, one of the hens broke off the group and came into the woods and milled around in the leaves. None of the others followed. I had been doing some hen calls with my box call but could not get any response. I did hear a couple of random gobbles back in the woods west of me but for the most part things had gone quiet.

Around 7:15 I noticed movement to the west and to my surprise it was a Tom fully fanned and running towards the Jake decoy. He got up to it, circled, and proceeded to pound it pretty good a few times, He was very aggressive. I had my Benelli Super Nova on him and was waiting for a good shot opportunity. He was not a happy bird and was moving around the deke.

Finally the opportunity came and I pulled the trigger. To my disdain he jumped to pounce on the deke right when I pulled the trigger. I hit him and he went down but got right back up. I couild not believe it. I have never had a turkey back on it's feet after the shot. I put the bead on him and pulled the trigger- nothing happened. Rat's, I am so used to shooting a semi- auto I had forgot to pump out the hull. The bird ran off into the thick brush. I was sick to my stomach. I knew I hit him but he ran off pretty fast. I got out of the blind and worked my way towards where he ran and saw a turkey high tailing it accross the field. I felt even sicker thinking he was gone. I thought I would work my way around the woodline in hopes he stopped once he cleared the field which was several hundred yards away. I took about 10 steps and to my surprise there he was in the brush. I had to finish him off but was very relieved.

Fortunately the bird I saw running accross the field was a different one.

All told my season only lasted a couple of hours. That makes it a little bittersweet. Turkey hunting is truely about the experience in my mind and has very little to do with filling the freezer although that is an added bonus.

This is my 4th or 5th year turkey hunting. I have learned most of what I know about it from this forum. The contest adds a lot of fun to the experience also. Thanks to those who share their knowlege and advice.

I am already thinking of next year.

[Archerysniper]

Awesome bird and a great write up + you shot it on my birthday

I am having printer problems right now to get mine submitted. Maybe tomorrow I will go to the neighbors and get the form printed up.

[DonBo]

Great bird Bruce. Congrats!

[hugonian1]

I think once Archerysniper gets his bird entered we should be in good shape. Team 5 still has a Jake to enter. Walli's bird was sure a beast and put some pressure on us. Featherslayer has not entered his bird yet either.

The fat lady has not sang but I do see a rather large woman over in the wings warming up her voice.

[123fish]

Lets get those birds registered sniper and featherslayer. Possibly an all time record point total? Just curious.