EdB

Here is the short version and pics. He has got a 10-1/8†beard and a 1 inch and 7/8 inch spurs. The recap of my hunt is below. I had the 2nd general hunt this year and I’m hunting the Waterloo area. My hunt Monday was a wash out, got soaked in the AM, looked at the radar and went to work. Better to save my time off for a better day. Had a tough AM hunt day 2, silence when the birds hit the ground. Things got interesting mid day while running and gunning. Covered a lot of ground with no gobbles when I finally located one who wanted to talk. But he shut up and a few rounds of calls and gobbles back. Stayed a long time waiting and then hit the road, drove around the block and found out why he shut up. He was in the front yard of nearby house with another gobbler and 4 hens strutting. He was safe in that spot. I snuck into a roost area on day 3 real quiet in the dark. As it got light, I realized I got too close. The gobbler sounded off in tree about 30 yards from me. I sat like a statue and he gobbled 6 times in the tree. At fly down, I learned there was a hen a bit farther away, she dropped down farther still and the gobbler glided down to her, about 60 yards out now. Another hen on the ground out of sight started yelping and they all went that way. I got some breakfast and then back to running. Made a long circular walk through some good land and was getting close to the road that I’d take back to my truck. It’s about 11:00AM. I gave out one last loud yelp and a gobbler responds, probably 250 yards away across a ravine. I need to get to the other side to set up and as I crest the edge and about to go down, I kick out 3 hens and a different gobbler. They ran down the two track I was on and up the other side of the ridge toward the bird I was after. He gobbled again so he was not spooked. After the 2nd gobble, I knew I needed to be on the top of the other side of the ravine. I continued down and then up the other side. I started climbing up that side when I heard a loud wing beat. Figured the birds I spooked saw me and flew but then I heard it again and again. Then I see a turkey jump up and down and hear more wing beats. Its two gobblers fighting! I’m only 40 yards from the top and I can see them so they should be able to see me even though it is brushy between us but they don’t. They are so focused on fighting that they paid no attention to me. I can’t go straight at them due to thick stuff so I slowly circle around and up and they keep fighting. I can’t believe I made it to the top edge with out being seen since I could see them most of the way. I’m now about 60 yards away with a nice leafy bush to hide behind. The fight breaks up with one bird trotting off. I take my slate out and give a few clucks and the remaining gobbler goes to full strut. He puts his feathers down and I cluck a few more times and he starts walking my way. I put the slate down, grab the gun and he gets to 25 yards and I got to pull up to shoot. Fortunately, he just sticks his head up when I make my move and I drop him. Good luck to those of you still hunting!

Nice job!

Nice catch!

Nice catch!

Thanks for the report.

Thanks for the Grand Haven report.

Thanks for the report Todd, who's boat did you fish on?

Thanks Jim. This thread linked below is in the Lk Michigan Discussion forum. It is about this topic but most importantly, shares all the research information. It is important to understand the science behind this before you take the survey, lots of good info in the links in this thread: http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26288 Jay Wesley is a LK Michigan Biologist (in the link above) and a member here and will answer your questions in the threads he participates in. When I first heard about this, I was initially opposed to the cuts until I learned about the science behind this by watching the videos and attending the Seagrant Meeting online. I support making these cuts. We cannot have what happened on Lk Huron happen on Lk Michigan.

Great catch Terry!

Calm seas and salmon in the box, nice night!

Nice catch!

Great catch!

Thanks for keeping us posted on Manistee Matt.

Thanks for the report.

Just a thought. Could it be the fish are stacked up on our side of the lake in that band of water? Seems 100-200 ft of water is quite good from St Joe to Manistee. I don't think they are doing this good on the far south end of the lake or the Wisconsin side.

Welcome Bob!

Great catch!

Thanks for the report!

Nice catch!

Nice catch Ken!

Nice start to the season for you!

Treblemaker from here won the wing contest. The wings everyone cooked were great and it was hard to pick a favorite. Lot's of different smoked foods all afternoon. It was a great 2 days on Lk Mich and the banks of the St Joe river. I don't need to eat anything today, I'm still stuffed.

Wings getting started for the wing contest. I should have taken a picture of Dan's Lang smoker before he pulled off the briskets and pork butts he had it loaded with. Here he is finishing some fattys and pork tenderloins.

When we got up and looked at the radar yesterday, there was a storm coming across the south end of the lake. We thought about trailing north to avoid it but stayed at St Joe since we were part of a BBQ and fishing event. We take the Q cooks out fishing and then they cook some awesome food over the 2 days. Most of the boats stayed in but we thought we go and see how it was. Raging east wind and the storm cell over the lake had us setting up in 40 feet of water instead of 127ft like yesterday. We made one out troll to 85 ft, went 2 for 3 and one guy started getting sick and the waves were really building as we got farther out so we pulled lines and went in. Quite the downpour as we pulled lines. Not many fish inside so I would start farther out if you are going this week. You can rule out some water from this report. Wish I was there today as weather looks better. When we got done, the smokers got fired up and the feast began. Okie Tim came all the way from Oklahoma to fish with us and cook some great Q. Baby backs

Nice kings Kevin.