sureshot
The Hunt Never Ends....
Story below, but if you'd rather watch the video, click the link provided: "Bloody Saturday Video"
Finally. Finally…..man, that word feels good to say. I have hunted hard with the bow here in Iowa, and continued to come up short due to a poor shot, or just a close call that didn’t work out. Bow hunting turkeys is not an easy task, and those who have tried it will agree. However, it’s the challenge of the pursuit with a bow that keeps me coming back for more.
On Saturday morning (April 27th), I headed to a farm that I’m very familiar with, and knew where the birds would be roosting (special thanks for the landowner who allows me to hunt here…..I’m very fortunate). As the sun started to rise, a coyote sounded off 50yds to the east, and the draw to my west lit up with the thundering gobbles of big toms. Soon, all of the birds were awake and the show had started. As the sun peaked over the horizon, I quickly realized how special of a morning it was going to be. It was beautiful….one of those mornings that made you realize that it wasn’t about the kill, but instead about the experience. The sun shined through the fog and created an orange glow that glistened on the wet blades of grass. There was no wind. All of life’s worries were forgotten, and I felt as if I was on top of the world.
As the sun continued to rise, the gobbles continued to echo all around me. It seemed as if I could hear for miles, and would feel comfortable in saying that I heard around 20 toms that morning. Suddenly, the sound of gobbles was broken with the sound of a bird flying down. I slowly looked out the corner of the blind and watched as two toms worked there way towards our food plot on the opposite ridge. Every time I called, they answered….and answered again, and again…and again. This continued throughout the morning, for two hours and twenty minutes to be exact. Finally (there is that word again), they broke out of strut and were coming our way (somewhat).
Both toms worked there way through the draw, and entered the top of the ridge in which I was sitting, however, they were now approximately 60yds behind me. I gave them everything I had with my Bloody Mary Bloodsport Diaphragm and they were headed my direction. One tom skirted to my right, while the other came in on a string. He didn’t stick around for long, but just long enough for me to go to full draw…..pause……settle my pin (I made sure not to rush my shot this time), and squeezed the trigger.
My arrow hit home, and the big tom only went 40yds before expiring.
I said a quick prayer and thanked the lord for the beautiful morning that he had given me, before gathering my gear and tracking the bird. The blood trail was out of this world crazy (A 3 1/8inch hole will do that), and reminded me of many whitetails that I’ve tracked over the years.
At the end of the blood trail was not only my bird, but a sense of accomplishment and pride that nobody can take away; That is why we do what we do, and just as everything in life….things don’t always go as planned, but you can’t give up….you have to keep digging, kicking, and fighting the whole way through, and I promise, things will work out.
Good luck to those of you who still have tags. There is a lot of season left.
-Chris
Finally. Finally…..man, that word feels good to say. I have hunted hard with the bow here in Iowa, and continued to come up short due to a poor shot, or just a close call that didn’t work out. Bow hunting turkeys is not an easy task, and those who have tried it will agree. However, it’s the challenge of the pursuit with a bow that keeps me coming back for more.
On Saturday morning (April 27th), I headed to a farm that I’m very familiar with, and knew where the birds would be roosting (special thanks for the landowner who allows me to hunt here…..I’m very fortunate). As the sun started to rise, a coyote sounded off 50yds to the east, and the draw to my west lit up with the thundering gobbles of big toms. Soon, all of the birds were awake and the show had started. As the sun peaked over the horizon, I quickly realized how special of a morning it was going to be. It was beautiful….one of those mornings that made you realize that it wasn’t about the kill, but instead about the experience. The sun shined through the fog and created an orange glow that glistened on the wet blades of grass. There was no wind. All of life’s worries were forgotten, and I felt as if I was on top of the world.
As the sun continued to rise, the gobbles continued to echo all around me. It seemed as if I could hear for miles, and would feel comfortable in saying that I heard around 20 toms that morning. Suddenly, the sound of gobbles was broken with the sound of a bird flying down. I slowly looked out the corner of the blind and watched as two toms worked there way towards our food plot on the opposite ridge. Every time I called, they answered….and answered again, and again…and again. This continued throughout the morning, for two hours and twenty minutes to be exact. Finally (there is that word again), they broke out of strut and were coming our way (somewhat).
Both toms worked there way through the draw, and entered the top of the ridge in which I was sitting, however, they were now approximately 60yds behind me. I gave them everything I had with my Bloody Mary Bloodsport Diaphragm and they were headed my direction. One tom skirted to my right, while the other came in on a string. He didn’t stick around for long, but just long enough for me to go to full draw…..pause……settle my pin (I made sure not to rush my shot this time), and squeezed the trigger.
My arrow hit home, and the big tom only went 40yds before expiring.
I said a quick prayer and thanked the lord for the beautiful morning that he had given me, before gathering my gear and tracking the bird. The blood trail was out of this world crazy (A 3 1/8inch hole will do that), and reminded me of many whitetails that I’ve tracked over the years.
At the end of the blood trail was not only my bird, but a sense of accomplishment and pride that nobody can take away; That is why we do what we do, and just as everything in life….things don’t always go as planned, but you can’t give up….you have to keep digging, kicking, and fighting the whole way through, and I promise, things will work out.
Good luck to those of you who still have tags. There is a lot of season left.
-Chris
Last edited:
:way:
