09 TURKEY Season

Welcome to the 2009 Turkey Season

Where ever you hunt turkeys, ...

Send us your photos and we'll build the 2009 Turkey Review. Tell your friends and family to send in the photos !!!

Here is Toni Freesen of Exeter, IL and her Scott County Gobbler. I'm hopeful that I can talk Toni and or Boomer to come hunting with me this season. I'm wanting to film Toni's 2009 harvest as I know she'll be out after those Tom's this spring.

Luke Gragg holds one of the biggest turkeys I've ever saw, ... His Brown County Gobbler reached 29.75 pounds and sported 1& 5/8 spurs. Just look at the fan on this beauty. Luke was hunting with his father Marc, and family friend Stacey Fanshier was helping with the calling. Even Stacey couldn't believe the bird's size once it was down.

Above, ... are gobblers from the past ... and hunter, Brian Scaman top left. And my Bro ... Jim McDaniel top right and directly above.

As the 2009 season nears ... I hope you do well and remember to send in your photos !

2009 is here ....

Kendall Ruyle of central Illinois scores on a big gobbler. Kendall is a young man who has the golden touch. I've been at several banquets over the years. Anytime I see Kendall, I have him touch my raffle tickets. I've won a pair of guns thanks to kendall. ( or maybe luck of the draw ) But, either way, ... I'll have him touch'm everytime .... don't wanna break the streak. Congrats on the nice bird Kendall.

Here is David Simmons and his 2009 opening day Osceola Turkey. The Bird went 22 pounds sporting a 10.25 long beard and 1.25 spurs. Now, ... that's an official kick off to the season !!!

Buddy, ... Keith Carnley and his Son Wes, ... scored on a Double in Tenn. Both birds weighed in near 20 pounds each ... with nearly 1 1/4 spurs .... AND ... each sported DOUBLE Beards. Way to go Keith and Wesley ... Hope I can make it down soon.

Wes Carnley scores on his second Tenn. Tom in 2009. This bird sported a nearly 10 inch beard with 1 inch spurs and weighed in at 19 pounds. Great job Wes .... and what a beautiful fan on this one .... awesome.

Carrie Donovan from rural Chapin, IL scores on a huge Morgan Co. gobbler. This bird weighed 24 pounds with a 10 beard and 1.25 spurs. She called into range with a little help from her husband Jason. She also used a new Smith and Wesson Auto loader won at the NWTF banguet. Wow, talk about breaking in a new gun.

Mark Sandman from Bluffs, IL scored on a nice Scott Co. Gobbler. It had some thick 1.25 spurs and a "paint brush" beard reaching 10 inches.

Marc Stone and new Team Lodge member from Waverly IL. scores on his first ever turkey. This Tom weighed in at 25 pounds. Marc might as well stop hunting turkeys ... as a 25 pound bird will be hard to beat.

Doug "Sledge" Hammer and I pose with a nice Gobbler taken early in the season. This one went 23.5 pounds ... and sported 1.25 spurs. It sure was fun hunting with the Sledge.

I join in the photo with Team Lodge member Marc Stone. This bird came in behind us as we had four others gobbling just out of range and still out of sight. When this bird did gobble ... he was almost in shooting range and coming in fast.

TEAM LODGE's Shantane scores on a Wyoming Gobbler. You see why this gal is part of Team Lodge ... she can simply do it all. Shantane's daughter looks very excited for Mom's success!

Here is Brother in Law Tim McFadden's 25 pound Brown County Gobbler taken on Public Land. That's right ... Public Land hunting has some damn good turkeys ! Or, ... was this turkey coming into the cow skull beside Tim ? Hmmm , ... it's anybody's guess.

Team Lodge - JMAC has some IL turkey fun !

Keith Carnley scores on another TN Tom.

While son Wes Carnley continues to stay one bird ahead of the Ole Man !

Jason Donovan bags a big gobbler ... Jason is a Taxidermist too and heading out to Wyoming this fall with yours truly, ... TheLodgeman.com !

Pro Staffer Steve Deibler bagged his Osceola this year and he and I are planning a Four State run next spring. It should be a fun and exciting hunt !

Team Lodge's Casey McDaniel .... holds up his Fourth Season Bird.

Team Lodge's Joe McDaniel and Buddy Boomer Freesen hold up a pair of young gobblers harvested this year.

Outdoor Girl .... Stephanie Reynolds and her first turkey !

Hunting with a OGW is pretty fun !

OGW - Stephanie Reynolds packs her bird to the truck !

The above two photos shows a happy Don Wells ... and a huge Tazewell Co. Gobbler. Don tells me this big boy went 27 pounds, ... and a 13 inch beard and spurs reaching 1.5. Now, ... that's a big bird.

Former Outdoor Girl Jamie Lee ... kicked butt in WV ... she put down the heavy brake on the Jake! Rock on Jlee ... and you look so good doing it !

Mark Thomas from Crane, IN took this impressive IN Gobbler with his Mathews Switchback and a GT arrow pushing a Spitfire Mech. Head. After a nearly two hour wait, Mark placed a shot into the vitals only to watch the bird take flight. He recovered it ... and found his bird went 22 Lbs, sporting an 11 inch beard with 1.25 spurs.

Here is Keith's Morgan Co. first day bird !!! I salute you too.

Wesley Carnley proudly shows off his near 25 pound Tom with 11 inch beard and near 1 1/2 spurs.

I can't help but pose with this fine bird.

Jmac holds up his 3rd season Bird.

Doug Hammer holds up the Double ending our IL 5th season.

My final tag found a 20 lb bird with a 10 inch beard and 1 1/8 spurs strutting in front of Super Tommy ... and Super Friend Doug Hammer. I can't thank Doug enough for allowing me to hunt with him. It was fun.

The Double Hammer ...

Shawn Kneevers and son Tanis show off the "Half Fan" beauty. This bird was shot at earlier in the year with a broadhead and just missed. But it did .... knock out a good portion of tail feathers in the process. Shawn made it a point to hunt just for this bird and towards the end of the season connected with a 40 yard shot. Now, that a hunt to remember!