State Chapter President Ken Dozer harvested this 8-point buck on November 20, 2009, while hunting in Hardin County.  The buck was 18-1/2" wide, main frame 8-pointer - brow tine on right side was broken.  Main beams were both 20 plus inches; G2's were both close to 9", the G3's were both close to 10", and would green score in the low 130's.  According to Ken, the buck ran over a hill down (approximately 150 feet) to railroad tracks, crossed the tracks and dropped into a creek bed which was another 250-300 feet down.  Assisting Ken with the recovery were best friends Scott Davis (Central KY Chapter President) and Scott Keplinger (Central KY Chapter Banquet Committee Member).  

Double Eagle Chapter member Perry Johnston bagged this 8-point buck on November 18, 2009, while hunting in Scott County, KY on opening day of Firearms season.  Perry took this buck with his 280 Ruger M-77.

Rockcastle County Chapter's JAKES member Trevor Mahaffey (14 years old) took this buck while hunting with his dad (Tony Mahaffey) in Jackson County, Kentucky, on October 17, 2009.  The buck scored 142 and had a 9-point rack.

Bluegrass Chapter JAKES member Cody Alcorn (11 years old), had always dreamed of going turkey hunting.  His dream came true when Cody met Arliss Huff (Bluegrass Chapter's JAKES Coordinator) and Bert (Bluegrass Chapter JAKES Coordinator Assistant).  With their help and turkey hunting skills, Cody went on his first turkey hunt, bagging a 25-pounds tom turkey, making this Cody's hunting experience of a lifetime!  As for Arliss Huff, he would like to thank the NWTF, Dr. Angel and other landowners for their generous support in giving hunting opportunities and great outdoor experiences to children like Cody.

Northeast Kentucky Chapter JAKES member Tori Virgin (9 years old) shows that she has this "turkey hunting thing" down pat.  Tori has been hunting turkey, with her dad, for the past 3 years and has been a JAKES member since she was a baby.  She harvested a 17 lb. Jake on the second day of Youth Turkey Season while taking part in Northeast Kentucky Chapter's JAKES hunt/event.  This event was filmed for Outdoor Insights TV Game ON, on the Pursuit channel (Dish TV) for the 2010 season.  Tori and her dad, Ron Virgin, set up a gobbler and was making a few calls when they saw 7 jakes coming their way.  The Jakes were so tightly bunched, Tori couldn't get a shot until the Jakes come in about 10 yards.  That's when Tori singled out the one she wanted and sealed the deal!

Tori's second turkey came on opening day of regular season.  Hunting with her dad and  Grandfather "Papoos" Mike Virgin (also a Northeast Kentucky Chapter member), they decided to go a blind that had been set up after a few pre-season scouting trips. Positioning Tori and her "Papoos" inside the blind, Ron sat outside to do the calling.  It paid off in a BIG way!!!!  About 8 am, "Papoos" stated some turkeys were coming in.  It was 2 Jakes, 3 hens and this Longbeard.  After a few more calls, all the birds walked to within 12 yards of the blind.  The rest is this story is made up of Great Memories!  Tori's Longbeard weighed 24 lbs, had a 10-1/2" beard and 1-1/4" spurs.  This was the first hunt her dad has been on with Tori where she was able to harvest a gobbler.  This was Tori's second and third turkeys, and her first-ever Longbeard.  What an exciting hunting year for a little girl in the Turkey Woods, and for three generations of family being able to hunt and enjoy together!

On May 4, 2009, with a last minute decision to fight the rain, Wilderness Trail Chapter member Bo Spencer got dressed and headed back on his family’s farm in Anderson County, KY.  Just before daylight, he had only heard 3 gobbles while they were still in the trees – one really close, another one fairly close, and one distant gobble.  Bo sat up in a gate opening surrounded by good sized trees and tall grass.  At “fly-down”, the 2 close birds flew down in opposite directions, parallel to the Kentucky River. This one managed to walk up and down a road, on the neighbor’s property, gobbling and strutting all morning.  Around 8 am, another one joined him in the road.

After more than an hour of the gobbler walking the road, and answering every call I made (cutting my calls off most of the time), Bo figured the gobbler was not going to come back into the bottom where I was at.  So, Bo took his time, gathered his decoy and calls, and up the hill he went.  After reaching the top of the hill, Bo set up again looking over an open finger of grass and two sections of woods.

Around 9 am, Bo heard a 3rd and 4th gobbler (one with these two, and one below) followed by a 5TH ONE BEHIND him,  who eventually wandered off.  Around 9:05, this guy gobbled pretty close in front of Bo, but over a rise. With 4 gobblers answering him, all less than 75 yards away, Bo couldn't see any of them. The one left on the road, along with the one that joined him, and the one Bo harvested, were coming in slowly as was the one below him. This guy gobbled at less than 40 yards, but just over the rise and out of sight.  Twenty seconds or so later, there he was right in front of me at about 35 yards. Seconds later, he was on the ground flopping around, thanks to some #5 Hevi-Shots!!  Of course, Bo was using the calls he built – Three Little Birds Game Calls!

Annie Wilson Harvests First Turkey!

Twin Lakes Chapter WITO member Annie Wilson harvested this big gobbler on opening morning of April 18, 2009, in Boone County, KY.  Her husband called in two gobblers and the birds crossed a field and headed towards the decoys.  The wind was calm that morning, so the decoys were not moving.  The gobblers came within 45 yards and stopped.  Annie took the shot and harvested her first turkey.  This gobblers weighed 21 pounds, had a 10-inch beard and 1-inch spurs.  Congratulations, Annie, on a fine first gobbler!

Northeast Kentucky Chapter member Brian Branham stated, "This is one of the easiest hunts ever!  It all worked just the way it was supposed to."  It was opening morning on his farm where he and his dad had it all to themselves. Climbing to the top of a ridge, and as first light, they heard gobbling all around them.  It was a beautiful morning as they watched the sunrise from that ridge top trying to decide which gobbler to go after.  The choice was made and he headed to the blind on the left.  As he got situated, there seemed to be three gobblers in the same area.  Brian started to call to them and they would all answer.  After a few minutes, he could tell one was walking toward him while one stayed back and the other got quiet. Continuing to call, the bird he thought was coming in sounded off again, but was returning to the other birds.  Just as Brian started to hit the slate again, one gobbled so close Brian thought it was in his blind.  It was the bird that got quiet; it has been coming in the whole time.  By the time Brian positioned his gun, the gobbler was in range and heading towards the decoys.  Brian let him gobble one last time before the shot.  He was on his way back to his house by 7:30 am.  "It don't get much better than that.  Fast and furious!"  Gobbler stats: 20 lbs., 10-1/2" beard and 1" spurs.

            SYDNEY PERRY SHOWS OFF HER LATEST 2009 TURKEY!

Dogwood Drummers Chapter JAKES member Sydney Perry bagged this gobblers on opening day of youth turkey season in Shelby County, KY.  Sydney and her dad, Mike Perry (Dogwood Drummers president), found the gobbler roosted and waited for him to fly down.  Sydney used her Knight and Hale Slate to just purr and cluck softly causing the gobbler to make a big circle around coming up full strut to 15 yards.  This is Sydney's third gobbler, but this one she called in on her own!  Maybe Dad should consider having Sydney call in his birds(?)  Great hunting, Sydney! Gobbler stats: 24-1/2 lbs, 10-inch beard and 1-1/4-inch spurs.

JEANNIE DELL MARSEE BAGS ELK

Cumberland Gap Tri-State Chapter Xtreme JAKES member Jeannie Dell Marsee took this elk while hunting on Pine Mountain (Harlan County) on December 20, 2008.  She used a Mossberg 270 cal. rifle.

Atta' girl, Jeannie!

While visiting Randy and Mary Phelps (Grayson County) during the opening day of Kentucky's late fall turkey gun season, KY/TN Regional Director Jarrod Bishop and his son, Wyatt, tested their hunting skills and luck.  Wyatt took his bird early morning, and Randy and Mary Phelps doubled their luck one half hour after Wyatt's.  Talk about L-U-C-K-Y!  Way to go folks!