I ain't as good as I once was....

[Native Hunter]

but I'm as good once as I ever was.....:)


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[URL=http://s219.photobucket.com/user/Steve_Conover/media/2016%20Spring%20Tom%201/DSC00684_zpspmmklmyc.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[wiscwhip]

Nice work Native!

 

[bueller]

Congratulations

 

[Red]

Wow, nice rope on that guy. Great bird.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Awesome Native! Beauty. Up here in my neck of the woods we have a very liberal (too liberal) bad limit. Most toms are shot by their 2nd year. I have not seen a 3 year old bird in 10 years or so. How old is a bird like that would you say?

 

[Native Hunter]

Awesome Native! Beauty. Up here in my neck of the woods we have a very liberal (too liberal) bad limit. Most toms are shot by their 2nd year. I have not seen a 3 year old bird in 10 years or so. How old is a bird like that would you say?

Thanks Natty. We can take 2 toms in the spring and 2 of either sex in the fall. I like fall hunting too, but have been to busy the last two years to go.

I think my bird is a 2 year old with an unusually long beard for his age. His spurs were around 7/8 to one inch, and my scales weighed him at 21.5 pounds. That is a little light for our 3 year old birds and about right for a 2 year old. At the spot I was hunting the food is abundant. We've taken some older birds there in the past that went well over 25 pounds.

The genetics here is great beard length, great weight and just average spur length. I've killed some really old birds but never one with spurs over 1.5 inches.

I've noticed older birds getting fewer here too. Lots of turkey hunters have mentioned that to me as well.

This was an exciting hunt and an unusual one. Being a turkey hunter, you have probably had many times that hens messed you up and led your bird away - happens all the time. Well today, this bird came to me and was hanging up at about 60 yards. Two hens walked between me and went to scratching in the leaves and feeding. LOL, those live decoys really did seal the deal!!

 

[Native Hunter]

One more story - the day before I came out empty handed. I was calling to birds about 200 yards away still on the roost. A few minutes before fly down time one of them flew straight toward me and landed in a tree about 80 yards away. He was high up in the tree and went to fanning and gobbling on the limb every time I called. His head looked like a 55 Chevy painted candy apple red. I thought he was going to fly down in my lap. First time I had ever seen one fan up that high in a tree.

About that time I heard a bunch of cackling and two hens flew into a tree next to him. Then they flew down. He waited another 45 seconds and flew down with them. Never saw them again or heard another peep out of them...LOL. Turkey hunting.............

 

[Merle Hawggard]

That is truly an awesome bird NH!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I think my bird is a 2 year old with an unusually long beard for his age. His spurs were around 7/8 to one inch, and my scales weighed him at 21.5 pounds. That is a little light for our 3 year old birds and about right for a 2 year old. At the spot I was hunting the food is abundant. We've taken some older birds there in the past that went well over 25 pounds.!

Interesting NH. I would say that most 2 year olds here in the Berkshires of Massachusetts have 6 to 8 inch beards. Back in the 90's when we had more birds I would get 3 year old birds that averaged 9 to 10 inch beards. I'm amazed that your bird had small spurs. That's crazy.

Opening day here is on Monday. Looking forward to getting out.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Great job Native !! Here in Pa. I've never seen a 12" beard. 7" to 9" more common. That was cool to see a tom fanning up on a limb - never saw that either. I like the fact that for once, the hens actually HELPED bring a gob in. It's usually the opposite - leading them away !! Congrats !!

 

[Native Hunter]

Great job Native !! Here in Pa. I've never seen a 12" beard. 7" to 9" more common. That was cool to see a tom fanning up on a limb - never saw that either. I like the fact that for once, the hens actually HELPED bring a gob in. It's usually the opposite - leading them away !! Congrats !!

Women have led many a man to his demise.

But just in case my wife might happen to read this - behind every successful man stands a good woman.:D

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I can tell this ain't your first rodeo, Native !!! Loved the last " safety net comment " !!;)

 

[tooln]

Nice bird & a good cover your butt.

 

[scott44]

Nice looking bird! Congrats

 

[Bill]

Congrats on the loooong beard.