I was lucky enough to fill my tag back on the 20th( 23 lbs 9 1/4 inch beard 1 inch spurs) after three days of hard hunting I bumped into him along a swamp around 1130 and was able to draw him in for a shot but thats not the good story... I took my 11 yr old daughter out for her season on the 29th and we were home in time for breakfast! After they outsmarted us at the roost we had to drive around a swamp to cut them off and by the time we hit the trails a nice tom was already on them, he was walkin away from us so we circled around on another trail to cut him off. About 30yds from the trails intersection i let out a cutt and got a instant gobble. I quick setup a decoy and we got up against the nearest large tree we saw. It took some work to draw him out but after ten minutes we were face to face at 15yds watching him strutt while hearing him drum. He made the fatal mistake of taking two steps to the right, lifted his head up and thats all it took!!!! She made a perfect shot on what turned out to be the big mature boss of the area! His beard is a true paint brush and his thick sharpened spurs proved he was the smart old boy we scouted in preseason but failed to lay a tag on ( my huntin partner missed him opening day). This is her 2nd bird but its her first doing it run & gun style so i was truly impressed & proud that she was able to stay calm and not get busted when he was that close just testing her patience and skill. Her bird was 22lbs 9 1/4 inch beard 1 inch spurs.

Great hunt and fantastic bird...congrats to you both ...should be very proud...look at those smiles!

Congratulations on the connection of a booming kind. I could not even score in Kansas this year.

Outstanding, congrats on the birds, but more significantly on getting your daughter into hunting.

Awesome!! Congrats to you and your daughter! Those are some nice looking gobblers. You look like one proud papa!

That is a hunting story you will both remember for many years. I have taken both of my girls turkey hunting with me. I think I am more proud of my daughter's first turkey than any of them that I have shot.

I agree. You want them to succeed so bad that it puts extra pressure on yourself but man what a payoff! We sent the pictures to her teacher and the next day at school the teacher made a huge deal over it puttin the pics on the projector and had her stand up and tell the story, which she loved the attention. Only kid in her school to put a long beard down this year. Only problem is now she's cocky cause she got the boss gobbler, so I jokingly left a bill for guide services on her bed! I also gave her my old slate call and told her she has to call one in for me next year. She's pretty good with it already

The smiles tell it all. Great story.

Congrats!!! The smiles do tell it all!

Congrats on a great season & what a proud papa you must be.