The Story Behind the Photo: Lisa Beumer's Devil's Tower Longbeard
My boyfriend Larry and I were set up high on a pine ridge the first morning in Wyoming. We saw them roost the evening before, and got in there in the dark. As they began to wake I realized I had a hen in front of me at the same level. The snow white strutter I was after was ahead of me strutting on a limb, I could just see the top of his fan. It was still dark. Hens were surrounding us with their tree yelps. Back and forth I could hear gobbles. I thought to myself this is as close to heaven as it gets. We are literally roosted with the turkeys!
I hear one sounding off behind me. It is getting light. I can’t get out my phone to video so I just take in the moment. Larry is next to me and facing the other way. He asks if I can turn his way, I cannot. The bird from behind swoops down on a lip right in front of him. Just then white tips drop right in front of me with two trees in the way. He asks if I can shoot. I cannot. He did not get his Wyoming bird last year so I say shoot. He kills and I immediately think I should’ve had him wait a minute. He said ‘hey, if you get a kill shot you gotta take it!’ Glad I let him because I got the Snow White bird I was after the next morning!
We drove over to Devil's Tower and I wet my hair to tame it with cooler water for the picture as we had been hunting for a week in South Dakota waking at 330am and hunting until almost 9pm everyday. Fast forward to later that day, we head back to a spot we had hunted in South Dakota as soon as we sit and I see 3 toms coming over the hill. Cattle are on the hill also. I decide where I can shoot and where I cannot. We are calling and they are coming. Branches are in my way. I pick a spot, the first longbeard clears and I wallop him. Larry says ‘you could’ve waited for them to eat some and I could’ve got a shot?’ In his own words ‘when you get a kill shot you gotta take it!’ Two birds, two states; same day! I ended the 2023 season with 9 longbeards and my second consecutive Single Season Grand Slam! Best year ever!
I am a 53 year old Registered Nurse, mother of 4 daughters. My father was one of the first National Wild Turkey Federation state presidents for Missouri. He died in his mid 50's when I was in my 20's. He always wanted me to harvest a longbeard. I did not until I was 43 years old. Now I hunt multiple states and have 39 harvests under my belt. I am active in my local NWTF chapter and have won national awards for the youth JAKES events I have organized. To fill my time when it is not turkey season I enjoy night wade fishing for trophy trout, deer hunting and snagging for monster spoonbill/paddlefish.
In honor of my father and his short life I am going to hunt and fish as much as I can, while I can!
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