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Nice bird Randy. You picked a great backdrop as well.

Glad the dog is going to pull through. More and more we are hearing about predator attacks in Ca. One would think predator numbers have to be going up and the state still opposes any kind of controlled hunting:confused: I guess that's the way it will stay until some unfortunate kid of a movie star or high ranking politician is attacked.

I too would have to shoot several. The Alphamax looks great, but the price is way up there and money is always something to consider. Currently just from what I've read Diamond's Black Ice is the one I'd pick.

That's unique alright. Not my style, but well done.

Wooleybear you are hardcore partner! I've heard of some guys holding dying turkeys by the feet as the flop out, but I've never heard of anyone plucking them! Congratulations on a well earned bird and good luck with the new addition.

All those interested in Deer hunting in IL. The dates are set. http://www.dnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/2009/May/deer.html

If you are calling hens to you then you are calling well. The Toms will come if there are any. You may need to add a jake call/decoy to get the Toms to come those final yards. My experience with Toms is that they shut up once they get within 50-100 yards and start strutting waiting for the hens to come to them.

Nice looking bird and a great looking place you got there to hunt them.

Congratulations once again! Might want to check into a camera with a self timer. Those small camera posable arms are great for attaching the camera to trees.

Congratulations! Not sure if it's the picture, but that bird appears to have an exceptional amount of chocolate in his secondary fan feathers. Generally Easterns have the black tips. Pretty cool.

I watched the video and realized that 2 jakes ran 2 longbeards off a flock of hens. Amazing! I never would have thought that. Later they ran off a single longbeard coming in for a look. Next year those two are going to be something else. In a couple more days the spring season is over here in IL.

Congratulations! Great looking bird you got there.

Welcome Brian. Job well done! Great looking bird!

I had my first gobbler done by a taxidermist. I just had the full fan, beard and legs placed on a wooden plaque. I would have had a full mount done, but didn't have the money. I mount the tails/beards on plaques myself now.

Nothing wrong with spending a couple early morning hours in the woods, then hit the books the rest of the day.

Took the kids (6 and 7) out this morning to film turkeys from my new ground blind. I set it up last night on a friends farm. The Gobbling was crazy this morning the entire 30 minutes prior to first light. Right at first light 3 hens flew out into the field. Then within minutes here comes a couple Gobblers in full strut. They looked more like jakes with screwed up fans and short beards, but they were strutting and gobbling none the less. Then after about 10 minutes of watching their show 2 gobblers sounded off from right behind us. They walked right by and they headed for the 2 strutters next to the three hens. It was on! They started fighting and then ran behind some trees. After a few minutes the 2 strutters came back into view and headed for the hens. After another 10 minutes the 2 strutters ran out of the field to the other side on the cow pasture hill and starting in on a single long beard. After running him off they were back in the field strutting for the hens. Then a doe comes out and starts to graze. We watch them for about 15 minutes till my kids fall asleep. After about 20 minutes another hen comes walking in about 20 yards from the blind. I wake them up to see her. They thought the entire morning was awesome! Wish I new how to put video up?

same here.

Stick with it and your luck will change. Might want to try a jake call to get that gobbler to come within range.

Hey Gus (Tonya) awesome hunt and gobbler! Congratulations on a job well done.

Not sure of the age, but that tail is beautiful! Congratulations

Remingtons will do this if the firing pin and bolt are not cleaned well. Happened to me deer hunting once.

Congratulations! Any turkey regardless of size always brings a smile to my face.

Yesterday we had about an hour before baseball practice so my Daughter Mackenzie (7) wanted to do some fishing. She caught several fat bluegill (about 9 inches) and we just needed one more fish to have a good fish fry. That's when she hooked this crappie using a worm. At first I thought it was a bass the way it was getting air, but then realized it was a big crappie. I know they can get up to 20 inches in some areas, but not around here. It measured 14 inches and as she realed it in I asked her how she was doing and she said: "It's going to pull me in". Well it didn't and she got it to shore and said she wanted it mounted for her room. So we dropped it off at the taxi last night. $112.00 and ready for Christmas.

Great pictures and nice catch!

Nice pictures! Getting into those white bass when they are hitting is a blast! Me and my neighbor went out one morning and caught about 20 each. The day prior he went alone and caught about 100.