The anticipation of the MN Turkey season left me with a restless night. My thoughts raced everwhere from where to place the blind to where to set the decoys. Would I see any birds, would I have the opportunity to pull the trigger on my first gobbler? With coffee in hand I was out the door and into the truck, my mind still racing.
I was greeted with cool temps as I reached the woods at 5:45 am. With the blind up and my decoys set it was time to wait for the woods to awake. It didn’t take long and I heard my first gobble off in the distance at about 6:20 am. So I made a few light calls with my box call to try and get him to sound off again. Nothing. About 5 minutes later I heard a bird leave the trees and glid right past me and my set-up and out of sight. At this point, my heart started racing. With a long beard on the ground not far away I gave him about 5 minutes and hit the call again and was immediately greeted back with the bird sounding off. I gave him another 5 minutes and then called again. He sounds off again, only this time he was getting closer and coming in on the right side of my set-up. A few minutes later I called to him for the third time. He sounded off again to my right, but this time another gobbler was coming in on my left with me right in the middle waiting. Was this going to be my time?
With the bird on my right closing in fast at about 60 yards I concentrated on him, but could not see him. I turned my head to check on my decoys and saw the bird on my left coming in at full strut. As he made his way closer to my decoy I could see his demeanor changing and my decoy was about to get his butt kicked. I slowly brought my gun up and put the hammer on him. My decoy lives to hunt another day, LOL.
With him on the ground I looked at my watch and it was 6:45 am. What was anticipated for months was over within an hour. It all happened just like I dreamed it would though. My first gobbler weighed in at 27 lbs, had an 11 in beard and 1 1/4 in spurs.
I now know what having turkey fever is all about. This is something I hope to be able to do for many years to come. I am hooked. The sad thing is that my hunt ended so quickly, but I have a BBD (Big Bird Down!!).
Doug:
A hearty congratulations from this hunter.
I can say that in the 16 years I’ve hunted turkeys, I’ve never been on a hunt where a larger bird than that one was killed. I can safely say that you could hunt a lifetime and never take another all-around bigger bird than that one.
The NWTF scoring system puts that bird at a 74, which is incredible. To put it in perspective, if you were able to register that bird (it’s probably too late), it would be the #14 largest typical bird in MN all-time.
What’s more important however is the great story you had with it, and fun-time you had afield. The best part is that your turkey career with all it’s peaks and valleys, will only make the memory of that bird sweeter as time goes by. Many congrats again.
Joel
congrats doug on a awesome tom
hopefully the next one isnt that easy
Congratulations Doug!
That my friend is a bird of a lifetime that you will never forget! 
WOW NICE BIRD!!!!
Great report and a fantastic bird.
CONGRATS. 
Congrats on your first Turkey and what a doozy it was!
Also a very good report and a nice read with awesome pics to boot!
Thanks guys, I will never forget that hunt. kinda makes me sad I didn’t have him scored
Never crossed my mind, Now that I know better I’ll never see a bird like that again. Well maybe????
At least Bucks have antlers LOL
Nice bird Doug!! Holy cow – 27lbs!!
Nice bird,and hunt!!
Thanks guys, Wish I had another tag. Next year seems a long way out. My family thinks I’m nuts, still got the calls in the truck & stop & play alittle when I see birds out in the fields. I got it bad guys!! LOL Am I the only one?
your definately not the only one i just came back in from the driveway working a bird across the street that would gobble every time i called
there are still wis tags available for late seasons in zones 1 and 3
Congrats on one BIG bird!
One more pic