# Awesome Morning!!



## langkg (Oct 26, 2004)

Awesome morning for turkey hunting. Wildlife galore and everything moving and talking. 

Shot what is probably my best gobbler to date. Had him measured at the local hardware/sporting goods as they do a spring turkey contest every year. He weighed 25 lbs even. 10-5/8" beard. 1-1/4" and 1-1/8" spurs. I've shot birds with longer beards but this was a pretty solid bird all around. The spurs are SHARP! The fellas at the store figured he was either 2 or 3 years old. I've shot plenty of birds with 1" or 1-1/8" spurs and they were not as sharp as these. 

Wore my deer hunting gear this morning. My trail cam was still out and it took a pic of me carrying the bird back to my blind. 7:21 AM and 18 degrees...! My finger tips were hurting from cradling the gun for 10 minutes while he worked into range. That's a hurt a don't mind though..!!!

GLTA.!!

Time to get ready for some walleye fishing.


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## Playin' Hooky (Aug 29, 2002)

Congrats! That's a dandy! I tagged out last evening--so glad I didn't have to go out this AM!


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## langkg (Oct 26, 2004)

Playin' Hooky said:


> Congrats! That's a dandy! I tagged out last evening--so glad I didn't have to go out this AM!



Thanks! Yeah, last year I was grinding it out over the two weeks and got my bird on the LAST morning..!! Not complaining as I enjoy every second of it but that 4AM alarm gets old after a couple of times..!!!...lol Not often I get one on my first morning out as I usually have to "calibrate" a bit. Happy camper here and good luck to all..!!


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Nice bird!! Congrats. Lets see some pics!!


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## steveh27 (Oct 23, 2000)

Nice bird. That is not a 2 year old. It is at least a 3 and probably a 4 year old.


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## langkg (Oct 26, 2004)

finally got around to the pics.

GLTA


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

Great bird! Congrats!


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## iLiveInTrees (Jun 29, 2010)

Very nice!


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## RMH (Jan 17, 2009)

langkg said:


> Shot what is probably my best gobbler to date. Had him measured at the local hardware/sporting goods as they do a spring turkey contest every year. He weighed 25 lbs even. 10-5/8" beard. *1-1/4" and 1-1/8" spurs*. I've shot birds with longer beards but this was a pretty solid bird all around. The spurs are SHARP! The fellas at the store figured he was either 2 or 3 years old. I've shot plenty of birds with 1" or 1-1/8" spurs and they were not as sharp as these.


I would re-measure those spurs, they sure look longer than 1 1/8th......:16suspect


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## Gobblerman (Dec 19, 2004)

That's a great Gobbler! Congrats.


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## langkg (Oct 26, 2004)

I'll do that. I have them out in the barn drying in some borax. I cut the legs on either side and put them in my can with some others. To be honest I just handed the bird over and they measured him and I just took their word for it and never doubted them. I'm not real worried about where I place in the turkey contest - just took it in for fun as I do every year. Now you have my curious though....lol



RMH said:


> I would re-measure those spurs, they sure look longer than 1 1/8th......:16suspect


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

langkg said:


> .....
> Had him measured at the local hardware/sporting goods as they do a spring turkey contest every year.


How does their contest work ? A lot of buck poles around, but this is the first tom contest that I've heard of.

L & O


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## justdandy (Oct 15, 2010)

Liver and Onions said:


> How does their contest work ? A lot of buck poles around, but this is the first tom contest that I've heard of.
> 
> 
> 
> L & O



Hunters den in lapeer does a spring turkey contest $10 entry fee paid before the start of the season and pay cash out to the top three birds then the top three get entered in a drawing for a gift certificate to the store


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## langkg (Oct 26, 2004)

Liver and Onions said:


> How does their contest work ? A lot of buck poles around, but this is the first tom contest that I've heard of.
> 
> L & O


You just show up with your bird. They'll weigh it on a certified scale and measure beard and spurs and score it according to the NWTF scoring. To be honest with you I don't even know what the prize or prizes are. I've entered many times and never won. I think it's like $100 or something. Just more or less for fun. I remember a few years back the winner had a bird with 3 or 4 birds. Hard to compete with that! My bird last year was around 64 and this one was an even 70. Probably need something bigger than that to win though.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

langkg said:


> You just show up with your bird. They'll weigh it on a certified scale and measure beard and spurs and score it according to the NWTF scoring. To be honest with you I don't even know what the prize or prizes are. I've entered many times and never won. I think it's like $100 or something. Just more or less for fun. I remember a few years back the winner had a bird with 3 or 4 birds. Hard to compete with that! My bird last year was around 64 and this one was an even 70. Probably need something bigger than that to win though.


Thanks for the explanation. Also to justdandy. 
I think contests for bucks and now toms that award money or prizes for the biggest animals promote cheating and are a bad idea. Awarding prizes randomly to all who show up with an animal can get about the same amount of participation.
I realize fishing contest work rather well with prizes to the biggest/heaviest.

L & O


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

Nice job ken! That's a helluva bird and definitely 3yrs or better. Is that Browns who is doing the contest?


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## langkg (Oct 26, 2004)

chuckinduck said:


> Nice job ken! That's a helluva bird and definitely 3yrs or better. Is that Browns who is doing the contest?


 
Thanks Ryan.! Yeah, the contest at Brown's.

BTW - did you ever convert your 700ML to BH209??


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

langkg said:


> Thanks Ryan.! Yeah, the contest at Brown's.
> 
> BTW - did you ever convert your 700ML to BH209??



Not yet. I ended up buying a few new ice fishing toys. It's on my to do list tho. I actually meant to call the guy last week.


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