Team 4 check-in.

[Cheetah]

Posted my score this morning, only 48 points, better than zero though. Photos and video are in this thread: http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3072273/Photos_and_video_from_the_Blac

Anyone else have any updates?

[2044Mustang]

Well sorry guys, I struck out this year. I'm getting a zero. I've never had turkeys respond they way they did this year. I couldn't get a tom or Jake for that matter anyware near me. I tried everything. Agressive calling, passive calling, no calling, many decoys, one decoy, no decoys. No matter what I tried, they wanted nothing to do with me. Sorry to let the team down. Good luck to the rest of you.

[ANYFISH2]

Hey mustang, what can a guy do? If they don't cooperate they seem to win every time. Shh, don't let the turkeys know thats how it works!

I hope your hunt was still enjoyable.

[ANYFISH2]

Paintbrush, so how did Missouri and and season C go for you?

Good luck to Cooter, I believe your season is coming very soon.

Good luck to Cole in his nest season as well.

I wish you all a great hunt!

[Cooter]

Scored this afternoon - 22lbs, 9" beard and 3/4 spurs. 2 in the afternoon, awesome hunt, came in with 4 hens in full strut - knew he was dead a couple minutes before I pulled the trigger.

Didn't hunt Wed-Friday with the weather and work - went out yesterday afternoon and hunted 3 spots and never heard or saw one. Back out this morning in spot #1 and didn't see or hear anything. Headed over to my uncles and got there about 12:30 - got one to respond, came in with hens, beautiful show. Dropped him at about 20yrs - typical 2 yr old bird.

Saw Mr Larson on the way there - had MN plates and I told him I recognized him. Asked if he wrote and was surprised I knew him from that - still trying to figure out which publication(s) I've seen his work in.

Will fill out the submission form soon - they must still want photos? Did take several of the bird, spurs, beard, tape measure, scale, etc. Will have to remember how to post photos!

[ANYFISH2]

Way to go Cooter, sounds like a nice bird. Waiting for pics. Congrates on your bird.

[Cheetah]

Congrats Cooter! If you need help with photos let me know.

[ANYFISH2]

Pretty quite for team 4. Anyone still have any hunts left?

[Cheetah]

I was out last Saturday with my dad in Wisconsin, we only saw one hen while driving between spots. A few sets of old tracks, no fresh sign and no birds seen or heard while hunting. Weather was very poor as well.

I am leaving town this Thursday evening to go hunt in western MN. We have permission on a farm where a friend hunts deer each fall and says there is a big flock there. It's worth a try, and we can go fishing too.

[Cheetah]

Looks like more crappy weather this weekend.

[ANYFISH2]

Good luck cheetah, hopefully it will not be a complete washout for you.

[Cheetah]

So far so good. I called in a bunch of jakes for Sutty and he shot one at about 30yd. That was on public land, and he isn't picky. We had a flock on the private farm we were hunting but like dummies we moved too much getting into position on the far side of the valley and they saw us and booked it out of there. Just moved to the next property though, so I will go out this evening and see if they will come back to roost. I think there is a mature gobbler in that group with a bunch of jakes and hens.

Walleye fishing was good today from the dock at the house we are staying at. Lots of fun so far.

[hugonian1]

Mmm- Surf & Turf

[Cheetah]

All tagged out, time to go fishing. Photos coming a bit later.

[Cheetah]

We had a rookie drive out and he made it in time to join me, I figured we would set up where they were roosted in the morning and see what came back to the trees. We saw birds back across the big ravine though so we moved on them and got below them at the edge of the grass hill top and I yelped a few times. Then from the side we see gobblers heads through the grass at about 80yd looking for us, then two hens with them. We sat tight and for once I left the call on the ground and waited.

One hen was half white, if she was a Tom I would have shot her but I had to let her go. After a good 30 minute standoff with us sitting side by side with our guns up, the hens finally worked in to 20 yards. The gobblers came up out of the dip in the hillside and at 35yd I told the rookie to shoot after the hens finally cleared. The plan from the beginning was that he would shoot the right bird first, me the left.

He shot and I flinched bad... His bird went down and I have no idea if I really hit mine... I stood up and shot again as my bird was hobbling away. I knocked it down and then it got up and really started running up over the hill! I chased after it and just before it got out of view I took my final shot and put it down. Lucky... I turned around and the rookie's bird was looking around and ready to get up, so I ran back and pinned it down.

So here's the kicker, both birds looked darn near identical in size as far as I could tell. Rookie though shot a 24lb 3oz turkey, with 15/16 and 1 1/16 spurs and a good 10+ inch beard. The guide (me) shot a 17.5lb bird with same size spurs and beard. Go figure. I think the big bird ate rocks before committing suicide.

Got back to the house in time to fish a bit, but they weren't biting. Maybe tomorrow. I think I'll still get up early to chase turkeys and see if I can get some nice photos.

Me and my bird:

Sutty with his bird:

Rookie with his bird:

[ANYFISH2]

Very nice cheetah, very nice!

[Cheetah]

Sometimes it pays to fill the tag on the first day.

[Scoot]

Awesome- congrats Cheetah!

[DonBo]

Good job Josh! Nice combo ya got there!

[bigbucks]

Great job, looks like a lot of fun.

[Cooter]

Hey Cheetah - will you shoot me a PM with your email? Your message box is full....

[Cheetah]

PM sent. No, you can't have my GPS coordinates to my super secret turkey spots.

Well, you are on my team, so maybe I can point you in the right direction a little.

[Cheetah]

Here is Cooter and his turkey.

[ANYFISH2]

Very nice bird Cooter! Congrates again.

Sure be nice for us to have a last second entry to give us our 4 birds.

congrates to all successful hunters on HSO so far this year. it's been fun following everybody.

[Cheetah]

3rd place for us, no too shabby. I think next year I need to shoot a big Eastern bird first. Or maybe find an elusive 20+lb Black Hills turkey, if they even exist...