A query into the possible record book gobbler taken by Cullen Fennessy this past April during the youth spring turkey hunt would lead to the discovery of four more record book gobblers taken by Cullen’s father, Michael Fennessy. Unlike so many of the stories I cover, I would have the opportunity to visit Cullen and his father en route to a planned trip to Maine this past week.
I would travel north to St. Lawrence County on a beautiful spring day to meet with them, conduct interviews for the Empire Limb Hangers book project, have a look-see at the gobblers, and check measurements and confirm the scales. I would notice with great interest the walls of Mike’s massive garage lined with trophy displays of gobblers, With that, I knew I might be there for a while. I would confirm Cullen’s first gobbler along with four more that Mike presented to me. The tasks were made easier as both, the father and son were concise in their stories and recollection of details. Lots of pictures helped document and confirm the record book entries.
As there are several good stories of the hunts, and will be published in full in the book project, I will outline the top record entries first and continue from there.
Cullen’s gobbler taken in April 2024 during the special youth season, ties at #5 with NWTF Typical Score of 81.1250 (SBP Typical Score 172,2500) in New York. Weighing in at 26 lbs 12 oz. becomes the 11th heaviest bird, vetted, and recorded. The beard taped out at 11.8750 and ties with several others as 13th longest beard makes for a grand gobbler in the Empire State. There is a wonderful back story to the hunt, one of father and son, the help of Steve VanPatten , and the chance encounters of a red Cardinal with a heartwarming connection to his great-grandmother. With the backdrop of a warm and inviting experience of a North County hunt camp, it is the start of a lifetime of memories to be made. Given the impressive qualities as a young adult that I discovered in interviewing Cullen, and the mentorship he is receiving as a young hunter, It would be little surprise to see him make a father proud in a path well taken and have his own collection of memories of the great turkey woods.
Michael’s gobbler taken in May 2017 comes in at the new #6 with NWTF Typical Score of 80.8750 (SBP Typical Score 168,5000) in New York. Weighing in at 30 lbs. 0 oz. this boss gobbler becomes the new 1st heaviest bird, vetted, and recorded. Beard measured at 10.1250, and sported 1-9/16″ and 1-1/2″ spurs to complete a grand father-son entry in New York Wild Turkey Records. It is the first to have found where a father and son have pulled a hat trick in the record books.
Michael has also entered three additional gobblers that place:
@ 14th with a NWTF Typical Score of 76.1250, (SBP Typical Score 159,0000,) #10 for weight of 27.0000.
@ 28th with a NWTF Typical Score of 73.7500, (SBP Typical Score 155,0000,) #10 for weight of 27.0000.
@ 32nd with a NWTF Non-Typical Score of 91.1250, (SBP Non-Typical Score 185,0000,) #5 for weight of 28.0000.
Several potential records are being looked into and hopefully vetted. One in particular would topple #1 Typical in NY and one I hope to verify soon. A thank you goes out to Keven Lothridge for the heads up on coming across these incredible stories!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Empire-State-Limb-Hangers/139342609441424?v=info
http://empirestatelimbhangers.com/
© 2024 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
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