longspurs
Active Member
I've been hunting hard so far this year trying to fill my bow tag but just haven't been able to get it done. My brother was able to tag a bird I called in during second season, which was a huge high point for me. My wife is also turkey hunting but we haven't been able to get a bird in range for her yet - hopefully 4th season will be the ticket.
I headed out alone yesterday morning in yet another attempt to fill my tag. The action was non-stop! I set up within about 125 yards of a bird on the roost and had no less than four others gobbling within a quarter-mile of my position. It was music to my ears! The closest bird didn't cooperate but about 45 minutes into the hunt I had a bird drumming within what I guessed to be 50-60 yards of the blind ... the problem was I couldn't see him and that meant he probably couldn't see my decoys. Not long after that another bird that had been gobbling off in the distance sounded off close by. I looked across a tilled up field and he popped out on the edge of the timber. He fanned out for a bit and gobbled but didn't want to commit. He ended up wandering off, gobbling as he went.
My hopes were dashed, but not completely. I decided to sit tight in hopes that the original bird I'd set up on might be in the area. Sure enough a while later I caught movement a few hundred yards across the tilled field. I glassed the bird and it was tom. I let out four or five soft yelps - he stopped, looked my way and started slowing feeding my direction. He was still 150 yards out when he turned and started feeding away. I let out a few more soft calls - he looked again (this time I think he saw the dekes) and started coming.
The bird strutted in the last 60 yards or so up to a barbed wire fence and ducked under it - he was at 15 yards when he cleared it. I snapped a couple photos (yeah, I'm crazy
), set the camera down and drew back when he was at 12 yards. All of a sudden he dropped out of strut as I think he figured out the ladies weren't the real deal. As he was walking to my left I let him have it.
He went up in the air, landed on the other side of the fence and began walking away slowly. I watched him until I could no longer see him and decided to at least try and keep an eye on him if I could as I knew he was hurting. I watched him go across an alfalfa field into come CRP. When he didn't come out on the other side of a large cedar bush I figured he was holed up. Instead of being smart and keeping my distance I began my approach.
With about 40 yards to go it was OFF TO THE RACES!!! He took off on a dead sprint with me in hot pursuit. He ran to a fence and manged to get his wings under him enough to clear it but crash-landed on the other side. Up over the fence I went and it was game on again. I threw down my bow to keep my speed up and was gaining on him. He started through some small sapplings, which allowed me to get caught up to him until I was literally running right behind him. I dove on him and had him for a split second but ended up on my belly watching him run away with feathers in both hands! I caught up to him again, dove a second time and at 08:15 it was game over. Total distance covered during the sprint - about 150 yards. My shot ended up being about two inches further forward than it should have been, but he was still bleeding like a stuck hog.
The tale of the tape was 20 pounds, 10 ounces with a 10-3/4" beard and 1-1/8" spurs. I couldn't have been happier with my bird ... and yes, I need to get in better shape!
Good hunting during fourth season everyone!
When he first saw the decoys ...
Getting closer ...
At 13 yards ...
Hello, darlin' ...
The set-up from his point of view ...
The result ...
-Longspurs-
I headed out alone yesterday morning in yet another attempt to fill my tag. The action was non-stop! I set up within about 125 yards of a bird on the roost and had no less than four others gobbling within a quarter-mile of my position. It was music to my ears! The closest bird didn't cooperate but about 45 minutes into the hunt I had a bird drumming within what I guessed to be 50-60 yards of the blind ... the problem was I couldn't see him and that meant he probably couldn't see my decoys. Not long after that another bird that had been gobbling off in the distance sounded off close by. I looked across a tilled up field and he popped out on the edge of the timber. He fanned out for a bit and gobbled but didn't want to commit. He ended up wandering off, gobbling as he went.
My hopes were dashed, but not completely. I decided to sit tight in hopes that the original bird I'd set up on might be in the area. Sure enough a while later I caught movement a few hundred yards across the tilled field. I glassed the bird and it was tom. I let out four or five soft yelps - he stopped, looked my way and started slowing feeding my direction. He was still 150 yards out when he turned and started feeding away. I let out a few more soft calls - he looked again (this time I think he saw the dekes) and started coming.
The bird strutted in the last 60 yards or so up to a barbed wire fence and ducked under it - he was at 15 yards when he cleared it. I snapped a couple photos (yeah, I'm crazy
), set the camera down and drew back when he was at 12 yards. All of a sudden he dropped out of strut as I think he figured out the ladies weren't the real deal. As he was walking to my left I let him have it.He went up in the air, landed on the other side of the fence and began walking away slowly. I watched him until I could no longer see him and decided to at least try and keep an eye on him if I could as I knew he was hurting. I watched him go across an alfalfa field into come CRP. When he didn't come out on the other side of a large cedar bush I figured he was holed up. Instead of being smart and keeping my distance I began my approach.
With about 40 yards to go it was OFF TO THE RACES!!! He took off on a dead sprint with me in hot pursuit. He ran to a fence and manged to get his wings under him enough to clear it but crash-landed on the other side. Up over the fence I went and it was game on again. I threw down my bow to keep my speed up and was gaining on him. He started through some small sapplings, which allowed me to get caught up to him until I was literally running right behind him. I dove on him and had him for a split second but ended up on my belly watching him run away with feathers in both hands! I caught up to him again, dove a second time and at 08:15 it was game over. Total distance covered during the sprint - about 150 yards. My shot ended up being about two inches further forward than it should have been, but he was still bleeding like a stuck hog.
The tale of the tape was 20 pounds, 10 ounces with a 10-3/4" beard and 1-1/8" spurs. I couldn't have been happier with my bird ... and yes, I need to get in better shape!
Good hunting during fourth season everyone!
When he first saw the decoys ...
Getting closer ...
At 13 yards ...
Hello, darlin' ...
The set-up from his point of view ...
The result ...
-Longspurs-
