It was an ugly 5 days of hunting – rain and way to much wind, saw little for birds and no gobbling….but fortune smiled on me yesterday about 11.00…
I had sat all morning watching the decoys (in the rain), and saw 1 hen. Would hear a distant gobble every once in while, but nothing constistant or close. About 10.30 I was going to call it quits – as I was wet and getting cold, but decided that I would take a walk on a old tractor path to the south end of the woods, as it would be quiet walking, and the small field on that end occasionaly has birds.
I got most the way there and must have stepped on a stick, as there was an instant gobble and he was close. I dove for the nearest tree, about 10-15 ft up on a side hill.
I yelped w/ my mouth call – silence. Yelped again – still nothing. What is going on? I figured the bird would gobble back, being as he had already gobbled….
The two track curved to the left, just ahead of where I was, then I saw motion – and there was the Tom, walking along, looking left to right for that hen….
Like a dummy – there I was, w/ the shotgun on my knees, and I knew I would have to “go for it”, so when the Tom looked away again, I grabbed the gun, pointed at his neck and fired in one motion. After a bit of thrashing, he was still.
I think I was in shock at that point – as all I did was walk in circles for a couple of minutes, trying to figure out what to do next.
Finally got the gun unloaded, laid down and camera out. I was alone, so just got pics of the bird – and sadly, I didn’t see the lens was fogged – so they are blurry – thought it was only the view finder…..couldn’t find my handercheif to wipe it down – not that I was thinking to cleary at that point….
Looked at the beard – about 10-11″, and the spurs, about an inch. Tryed to pick him up – uh-oh – this is no ordinary bird, weighed more than the average 20# Tom….I guessed 25# at that point. I paced off from the tree to him and got 18 steps, so call it 15 yds +/-.
Got him toted back to the truck, and then was to Wild Goose Sports where I went to register it. Ralph (owner) took one look at it, and was on the phone to DNR, as he thought this bird had the potential to be a record. DNR told him that they don’t track turkey weights – check with the NWTF… seems crazy that they wouldn’t….. Still checking on that issue…..they have records for everything else…
Put it on Ralphs scale, I got 29#, 12oz when I did it. Ralph did it, he got 29# 11oz. Then he says “my scale hasn’t been certified in two years…” Ouch!!!! Got some more pics at Goose (these turned out).
Registration complete, I was off to Ye Olde Butcher Shop and their scale. At YOBS, the scale said 29.7#. 70% of 16 is 11.2, so 29# 11.2 oz. Weight is on store letter head and witnessed.
Stopped by a taxidemist – asked for info on mounts….he took one look at the bird and said “Holy crap! That is a big turkey – I see alot of birds and that is a big turkey!”
It was skun out then and there. Sadly a body mount is not do-able – $ and wife’s allergic to feathers, so will be getting a cape and tail for my office wall at work. Beard measured 10.5″, spurs were 1″ each. During the skining, we found that the bird had managed to turn around and take a step or two, as my pattern was printed on his back. He was 1/3 broadside to me when I fired. But having this happen protected all the meaty parts of the bird.
UG
Great bird! You are THE man! The only time we get close to 29# of turkey is when we get to double on jakes 
