2015 H-W Turkey Hunters Competition (winners posted)

[bearpaw]

1st Annual H-W Turkey Hunters Competition
We have the WDFW contest permit, the Turkey Competition is open for entries. Please post your story of the hunt or a link to the story, the required photos of the bird, and the claimed score.

RULES:
 - MEMBERSHIP: You must be a forum member prior to the start of the season in which the bird is harvested
 - LICENSE & TAG: Appropriate Washington hunting license and turkey tag is required, all laws must be obeyed
 - SEASON: Legally harvested turkeys taken during any open Washington turkey season from April 1 to December 31
 - PHOTOS: Take photos of your bird, of the weight, of the beard, of the spurs, and fill out the attached score sheet
 - ENTRIES: The hunter must submit a story of the hunt, the pictures of the bird, and the score sheet
 - CATEGORY ENTRIES: If you do not have all required photos you may enter in categories that you have photos
 - SCORE SYSTEM: The official NWTF scoring system will be used
 - WINNERS: Highest score in category, sportsmanship chosen by mods, best photo chosen by forum members
 - PRIZES: to be determined as soon as possible
 - DISCRETION: In the event of a disputed entry, Mods/Judges may require additional verification of any entry
 - ENTRY DEADLINE: Entries must be received by 11:59 PM, Dec 31, 2015

SPONSORED BY: 
Washington For Wildlife "Dedicated to Conserving Washington's Wildlife & Sporting Heritage"
Additional sponsors and prizes needed

WINNERS:
 - Highest Score (men).................wastickslinger...$20 Cabelas Certificate
 - Highest Score (women)..............no entry
 - Highest Score (youth under 16)....no entry
 - Longest Spur..........................wastickslinger...$10 Cabelas Certificate
 - Longest Total Beard Length.........tgomez...$10 Cabelas Certificate
 - Best Sportsmanship..................tgomez...$10 Cabelas Certificate
 - Best Photo.............................tgomez...$10 Cabelas Certificate

PRIZES:
I have a few items for prizes, if an individual or business would like to help sponsor the contest please post here or send a pm.

SCORE SYSTEM (list ounces and fractions by 16th's, then put them in decimal form as shown)
WEIGHT...............1/16 MEASUREMENTS
1 OZ. = .0625............1/16 = .0625
2 OZ. = .1250............2/16 = .1250
3 OZ. = .1875............3/16 = .1875
4 OZ. = .2500............4/16 = .2500
5 OZ. = .3125............5/16 = .3125
6 OZ. = .3750............6/16 = .3750
7 OZ. = .4375............7/16 = .4375
8 OZ. = .5000............8/16 = .5000
9 OZ. = .5625............9/16 = .5625
10 OZ. = .6250..........10/16 = .6250
11 OZ. = .6875..........11/16 = .6875
12 OZ. = .7500..........12/16 = .7500
13 OZ. = .8125..........13/16 = .8125
14 OZ. = .8750..........14/16 = .8750
15 OZ. = .9375..........15/16 = .9375

Weight
___18___ Pounds  ____4____ Ounces    =    ____18.2500_____

Spur Lengths
Left  -  ____12/16 (.7500)____ X 10   =   ________7.5000_____
Right - ____14/16 (.8750)____ X 10   =   ________8.7500_____

Beard Length
9 8/16 (9.5000) + ___ + ___ + ___ = _9.5000_ X 2 = _18.0000_
(If multiple beards, add all beard length’s together and then multiply by 2)

TOTAL SCORE   =   ___52.5000___

[bearpaw]

   a reminder for lucky hunters to enter their birds

[wastickslinger]

Score:
Weight
19 Pounds 2 Ounces    =    19.125
Spur Lengths
Left  -  1 3/8(1.4375)  X 10   =   14.35
Right - 1 7/16(1.375)  X 10   =   13.75
Beard Length
9 5/8(9.625) X 2 = 19.25
TOTAL SCORE   =   66.475

Story:
This year I decided to load up the whole family and make it a camp out since we had such good weather and I could tell they all wanted out of the house. Lots of encounters but two of them ended successful. The first success was when I took my 3 year old daughter for an afternoon drive and quick walk. We found a group of jakes right away and I thought I would give her a little excitement. 3 out of the group came in for a little show. I couldn't resist smacking a jake with her sitting beside me. She loved it. The boys were more interested in shed hunting so we took a few walks on day two but came up short on sheds. Morning 3 they all wanted to sleep in, I did too but I finally rolled out of bed late. To my surprise 2 of the toms I was after were out for a stroll in the back of the field with no ladies. I got out in position on the edge of the field. Not much cover so I went with the sniper position. Killer on the neck but it was all I had. They took their sweet time but eventually got to 15 yards. Had them both lined up but after smacking the jake I one had one tag. Went back to camp and woke everyone up to come see him. The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing, cutting wood, shooting bb guns and watching big toms strut around.

Sorry for the terrible measurement pics. I never take pics of that in the field. Had to pull him out of the freezer (getting him mounted so he was whole, less a few guts). I couldn't get right in on the skin of the beard with it being frozen, measurement shows about 1/2 shy of what he is. Only could get to one spur. I measured them both and one was slightly smaller than the other.

[tgomez]

May 9th 2015 was a very special day for my som Elijah and I (Trevor). We woke up at 4am and I got the slate calls scratched up, and the box call chalked. After getting dressed, grabbing the blind and Remington 870 Express from the gun cabinet we were on our way to Chattaroy, Washington. When we arrived to our spot it was 6am and we set up the blind and placed my standing hen decoy up in front of the blind. I began to call about ten minutes after being perfectly silent, and immediately was hit with a response from a bird down the hill about 400 yards or so I figured. After the bird goobled I heard the hens with him going crazy cutting and yelping. I knew we would have to wait for the Tom to leave the hens, so Elijah and I had some hot chocolate and a few honey buns in the blind. After an hour and half of silence I told my son Elijah it was "Go Time!" I broke out my secret weapon my Primos Heartbreaker box call and let out a few yelps. Immediately we were hit with two powerfull gobbles that rang through the draws. I knew the birds were close so I hit them with a few raspy cuts, and it made the Toms sound off again. After this they were within 150yards I figured so I grabbed my slate call and began to purr and cluck away on it. About 5 min later the Toms sounded off again and I immediately saw two bright red heads making their way to us. My 8 year old son Elijah was as wide eyed as an ol owl, and was super excited. The birds made their way into 45 yards and spotted the decoy as they putt on a strutting show. I let them strutt around for ten minutes or so and they started to move down the finger ridge. I told my son, "Dad's gonna sneak out the back of the blind and get one buddy." He said, "OK Daddy." I opened the zipper on my Ameristep blind carefull not to make too much noise, and snuck out with my Remington 870 express in hand. I let out a few purrs and clucks on my slate, gobble- gobble-gobble, here they came back up the finger strutting! When they got 30 yards away I picked out the lead gobbler and let the 12 guage sing!! Gobbler down! I told my son, "Daddy got him lil buddy!" The other bird just stood their than slowly left after he realized their were no ladies to be had. My son then said, "Dad that was the coolest hunt ever!" I said,"Any hunt with you is the coolest hunt ever!" Then I took a few photos of him with my Tom, we shared a Mt. Dew, then we tore down the blind and headed back to the Jeep and to Spokane, Wa. The Tom weighed 27 lbs, my secound heaviest Tom ever in 16 years of turkey hunting! FINAL NWTF SCORE= 67.17 pts. It was a hunt that was very fun and a great memory for my son and myself. Remember to take a child hunting and fishing so they can enjoy the outdoors and carry on our great heritage!

[bearpaw]

a couple of awesome entries 

There can be winners in numerous categories!

WINNERS:
 - Highest Score (men)
 - Highest Score (women)
 - Highest Score (youth under 16)
 - Longest Spur
 - Longest Total Beard Length
 - Best Sportsmanship
 - Best Photo

[yelp]

Just found out about contest..didn't get photos of measurements but i will post a pic of my tom I shot this spring. I will remember to take pics next year! Thanks again!

[tgomez]

A picture of my beard from my tom in the picture above from spring, 9 3/4" total length.

[wastickslinger]

Not many entries.

[bearpaw]

Let's get this contest finalized, please vote for what you think is the best photo?

[bearpaw]

2015 TURKEY CONTEST WINNERS:
 - Highest Score (men).................wastickslinger...$20 Cabelas Certificate
 - Highest Score (women)..............no entry
 - Highest Score (youth under 16)....no entry
 - Longest Spur..........................wastickslinger...$10 Cabelas Certificate
 - Longest Total Beard Length.........tgomez...$10 Cabelas Certificate
 - Best Sportsmanship..................tgomez...$10 Cabelas Certificate
 - Best Photo.............................tgomez...$10 Cabelas Certificate

(tgomez didn't have enough photos to qualify for highest score, remember to take more photos in 2016)

[bearpaw]

This is the categories I'm planning for next year:
2016 WINNERS:
 - Highest Score Overal
 - Highest Score (men)
 - Highest Score (women)
 - Highest Score (youth under 16)
 - Longest Spur
 - Longest Total Beard Length
 - Best Sportsmanship
 - Best Photo


What would make this contest better?

[tgomez]

Yessssssssssssss, wastickslinger and I got paid from hunting! Does this make us professionals now? All jokes aside congradulations to wastickslinger and thank you to Bearpaw, can't wait for this season!