# Record book Ottawa county Turkey



## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

I always take my friend Al out on opening day. He has taken some nice birds so far but this one tops them all. We hit 4 different spots throughout the day and just managed a few gobbles here and there. Our last spot we got to at about 5:00pm set up the blind and started with a few calls. Nothing at all, no turkeys, no squrriels , no birds, no wind, dead quiet! At 7:00pm i told him i was going to go find one. I got out of the tent and walked west into the thick stuff calling every 50 yrds or so. About 125 yrds from the tent i get a gobble, father to the west. I figure i need to get this bird coming our way cause Al is still in the blind. I call some more and get the bird coming our way so i turn and run about 1/2 way back to the tent clucking and yelping as i run. I stop and continue to yelp and loudly cut. Got him to sound off again and it sounds like hes still headed our way so i run back to the blind and out of breath i tell Al - " I found one!" and hes coming our way. After about 10 min he sounds off again and Al gets ready. He has the gun barrel pointed straight west and all of a sudden there he is, coming straight up behind us! Al moves the barrel just a bit and he starts to turn. I said "Hit him, Hit Em NOW!" Al makes a great shot at about 35 yrds and puts him down!

Turns out hes a great bird! 4 beards, 1st main beard is huge and thick 10 1/2 in, 2nd- 7.25, 3rd- 6.5, 4th- 4.5, 28.75 total. Great 1 1/2 hooks and 25 # on the digital scale. 31.75 total score.
Now neither of us are really into the record book thing but hey if he has it ya gotta add it up, right!!
We will get it scored this weekend and i think he might be the biggest multi beard ever taken in Ottawa county. 

Now i have to get mine...

-Bob


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## Hunt-all (Dec 13, 2008)

That's awesome! Can only dream of ever seeing a bird like that, let alone shooting one. Congrats.


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## chemiker (Nov 5, 2009)

Wow! What a great story, and that's one incredible bird.


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## Ack (Oct 3, 2004)

Awesome bird! Sounds like it was an exciting hunt....congrats!


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## JC Keith (Dec 27, 2005)

Great story. Thanks for sharing. Congrats to the hunter, very nice bird.


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## Fred Bear (Jan 20, 2000)

wow! look at the head on that huge bird.


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

It doesn't get much better then that


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## passport (Jul 26, 2009)

Congrats to you both!! Nice calling


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## Wally Gator (Sep 21, 2007)

That's a good one.


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## BWHUNTR (Oct 3, 2008)

congrats and GREAT pic's


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

Nice bird !!!


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## pipe dream (Aug 3, 2006)

I hunt ottawa county, what area did You get him in?


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## Reel_Screamer86 (Mar 22, 2007)

Again great bird/story, thanks for sharing..


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## hplayer13 (Nov 3, 2008)

Great bird! But, the 2nd beard (7.5 inches) barely looks half as big as the 10.5 beard. I dont know if I'm just looking at it wrong or am missing something but it doesn't look 7.5 to me? Regardless MONSTER bird


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

pipe dream said:


> I hunt ottawa county, what area did You get him in?


 


Jenison Area, small acreage surrounded by urban sprawl.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

hplayer13 said:


> Great bird! But, the 2nd beard (7.5 inches) barely looks half as big as the 10.5 beard. I dont know if I'm just looking at it wrong or am missing something but it doesn't look 7.5 to me? Regardless MONSTER bird


 
I figured someone would say that and youre right but the 2nd and third have a couple longer hairs you really cant see in the pic.


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## pipe dream (Aug 3, 2006)

I am just a few miles west of You. I have been seeing alot of birds this year and tagged mine on Wednesday. Gotta love hunting in between all the urban sprawl.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Great pictures!


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## hplayer13 (Nov 3, 2008)

Sprytle said:


> I figured someone would say that and youre right but the 2nd and third have a couple longer hairs you really cant see in the pic.


Ok just wondering. I wasn't doubting you in any way.


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## hooks-n-arrows (Oct 25, 2007)

Very nice bird. Congrats!


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