Crimson Arrows
Well-Known Member
I headed out this morning with my camera and bow, in hopes of getting some interesting pictures and just enjoying the morning. The older I get the more interested I become in wildlife photography, and seem to enjoy it more and more.
I really didn’t know what to expect this morning but I knew it would be a beautiful morning no matter what happened. The day dawned crisp and clear and didn’t disappoint in the "perfect" department. The turkeys were fairly quiet though, but as the morning light increased I finally heard a faint gobble in the distance. I then heard a few hens and finally a closer gobble-although it was a still a ways off.
I had seen gobblers in the past years on this particular knob and decided to wait it out in hopes of maybe getting some photos and possibly a chance at a gobbler.I was hoping I was where they were “going”, caring less where they were at the time. 30 minutes later I saw a small head pop over the rise about 150 yards out and what was in tow offered some great pics.
I left the bow on the ground as after nearly 20 years of chasing turkeys I realized I didn’t have any pics of April mornings and wild turkeys doing their spring rituals. If I wanted memories in the dead of winter that was the way to do it and I am so glad I brought my camera today.
I watched as the duo spinned and turned, the hen danced around and finally presented to the big ol gobbler. Then another gobbler joined the show.
He saw pretty boy and started his way in. He was in half strut most of the way and I had the camera up the entire time, cutting aggressively at him , while coaxing gobble after gobble with each step.
But..as he closed the distance he seemed to get a bit nervous and skirted the blind at 25 yards. I tried to get turned in the blind but it was a low % shot and I elected to pass.
The other hen and gobbler veered off the hill, clearing the field, and everything got quite…REAL quiet for the next hour. I heard no gobbles or yelps and at about 8:00 I was about to stand and stretch when I heard pfttt…vrrooooom...... Pfft vroooom. Smiling I grabbed my bow and clipped the release on. I couldn’t see to the southeast but I COULD SEE a shadow of a fan as this gobbler came in with the sun at his back. As soon as he was in the deeks, I drew back and settled my pin for the last time in 2010.
I took the opportunity to take one more pic on an abandoned tractor and then headed back to my farm house. My buddy and I decided to try and find some morels and while it was dry we still found a few.
We also came face to face with this guy…I believe it is a hog nose and the first I have ever seen. We even got the cobra imitation!
Before the day was over we were able to catch a few crappies which was the first time I had ever taken a gobbler, found a nice mess of morels, and caught some slabs all in the same day.
If I had to pick the perfect spring day…this was it! Thanks for reading
I really didn’t know what to expect this morning but I knew it would be a beautiful morning no matter what happened. The day dawned crisp and clear and didn’t disappoint in the "perfect" department. The turkeys were fairly quiet though, but as the morning light increased I finally heard a faint gobble in the distance. I then heard a few hens and finally a closer gobble-although it was a still a ways off.
I had seen gobblers in the past years on this particular knob and decided to wait it out in hopes of maybe getting some photos and possibly a chance at a gobbler.I was hoping I was where they were “going”, caring less where they were at the time. 30 minutes later I saw a small head pop over the rise about 150 yards out and what was in tow offered some great pics.
I left the bow on the ground as after nearly 20 years of chasing turkeys I realized I didn’t have any pics of April mornings and wild turkeys doing their spring rituals. If I wanted memories in the dead of winter that was the way to do it and I am so glad I brought my camera today.
I watched as the duo spinned and turned, the hen danced around and finally presented to the big ol gobbler. Then another gobbler joined the show.
He saw pretty boy and started his way in. He was in half strut most of the way and I had the camera up the entire time, cutting aggressively at him , while coaxing gobble after gobble with each step.
But..as he closed the distance he seemed to get a bit nervous and skirted the blind at 25 yards. I tried to get turned in the blind but it was a low % shot and I elected to pass.
The other hen and gobbler veered off the hill, clearing the field, and everything got quite…REAL quiet for the next hour. I heard no gobbles or yelps and at about 8:00 I was about to stand and stretch when I heard pfttt…vrrooooom...... Pfft vroooom. Smiling I grabbed my bow and clipped the release on. I couldn’t see to the southeast but I COULD SEE a shadow of a fan as this gobbler came in with the sun at his back. As soon as he was in the deeks, I drew back and settled my pin for the last time in 2010.
I took the opportunity to take one more pic on an abandoned tractor and then headed back to my farm house. My buddy and I decided to try and find some morels and while it was dry we still found a few.
We also came face to face with this guy…I believe it is a hog nose and the first I have ever seen. We even got the cobra imitation!
Before the day was over we were able to catch a few crappies which was the first time I had ever taken a gobbler, found a nice mess of morels, and caught some slabs all in the same day.
If I had to pick the perfect spring day…this was it! Thanks for reading
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