I finally got my first CO Tom!!!

[arffdog875]

Last night after hunting turkeys for three years, I got my first big gobbler! My wife and I saw this bunch of turkeys from the road, we parked and slipped in and got set up about 100 yards away from the bunch. We saw 2 big toms and 2 smaller jakes and about 20 hens. We sat in the tree line for three hours watching these turkeys go back and forth just out of shotgun range. Finally in the last 30 minutes the two big toms went to battle! They were pecking, strutting, spurring, drumming each other not paying attention to anything else. In the heat of the battle they moved right out in front of us ( 40 yards ) but surrounded by the hens. Still moving closer (20 yards ) still the hens surrounding the Tom...15 yard finally separated himself and I got the shot! Bang! Flop! He was mine! A great Tom, 9 1/2" beard and spurs about 3/4" ! It was an incredible show, Until now had only heard about these battles but never seen them until last night...WOW! It took a couple of minutes to get blood flowing back to my legs but I got the legs moving and collected my bird. It was a great night and wanted to share with you guys!

 

[Big Slick]

Awesome, good to see someone having success.

 

[Big Fin]

Congrats arff. Great bird.

 

[Sytes]

very nice! Great story to read up to the pic as well! Grats!

 

[elk_hunter]

Very cool and congrats on a great kill!

 

[genesis273]

Congrats ARFF on a nice gobbler, especially for your first! Is that a Merriam? Not too sure what you have in that part of the country but it is a beautiful bird with the white tips.

 

[mohunter]

Congrats. I shot my first one last weekend. Good to get one down

 

[ashersdad]

Nice looking tom. Congratulations!

 

[Ridge Runner]

Congrats on the nice tom and thanks for the replay of the hunt.

 

[upper deck]

Congrads on a great bird

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice, congrats!! Chasing turkeys in the spring is quite the hoot.

 

[D.A.D]

Nice Bird and good story. Can you say deep fry. I can smell the oil warming up.

 

[mdcrossbow]

Now tha'st an exciting hunt !, congratulations. It only took me 24 years. I hunted them for 5 years on my own and never closed the deal so I stopped hunting them then a friend took me out showed me the way to hunt them and now birds fall. LOL hopefully you will keep dropping them.

 

[JohnCushman]

Congrats!! The only birds out my way seem to be in the limited draw areas...lol

 

[Bwana]

Way to go but beware, this stuff can be VERY addicting!

 

[Outdooraddict]

Good job arffdog! Were they talking much? I've been seeing quite a few this year but they are not gobbling at all. Congrats.

 

[elkkill2006]

Very nice arffdog ! Congrats on a great bird,

 

[schmalts]

congrats, the first one is the hardest. all up hill from here.