Minnesota’s Wild Turkey is one of most elusive creatures to hunt, as the MN DNR notes that historical averages of success for hunters is about 15% (2024 was an outlier at 28% hunter success).

Well, don’t tell that to the May family of Becker, as they recently completed an incredible hunt and went eight-for-eight in harvesting birds during the B season of this year’s turkey season.

Doug May Sr. and his wife Mary have long hunted the birds near their home in Becker, and in 2019 they established “Heaven’s Gate”, a hunting property near Nimrod, MN.  There, they welcome their son Doug Jr., his wife Connie and their two daughters, Sabrina and Sam, all of whom hunt together.  This year, the girls’ boyfriends Tanner and Alec joined in on the hunt and it turned out to be epic.

Doug Jr. started the harvest Wednesday morning just one minute into the hunting season when he bagged his bird.

Connie and Sam would later enjoy a “double”, meaning that two tom’s came in and were harvested at the same time.

Both daughters have been hunting with their dad for many years, since they were about 12 years old so taking a turkey was not a new experience for them.

By Saturday afternoon, Sabrina was the lone family member without a bird but that soon changed as she nailed her shot and the family’s epic hunt was complete.

All in all, it was a tremendous feat and one that capped an incredible year of hunting for the family.

Connie started off last fall’s hunt and took a nice buck, a bear and now notched her third harvest with a tom turkey.

This spring’s turkey hunt was an amazing adventure and one that definitely beat the odds . . . it was a memorable April for the May family!