Limb Chicken
Active Member
It has been a long time since I have been in the turkey woods and things have been so active. Weasel and I headed to our opening day spot and soon heard gobbles from the roosting ridge. The birds pitched down everywhere but where we expected them to (as usual)
. But we knew eventually we would see something. That something happened to be a yote Weasel missed at point blank range this winter and he stopped by to say hey to Scott and he was on his way... After things settled down a lone tom finally entered the field and we were already planning on where we were going to go after we shot him. NOT! Stubborn and scared he finally made his way up the ridge and skirted at 51 yards. We were then sitting pouting trying to decide where to go next minus the bird. Scott got out of the blind and was going to climb into his treestand we set up next to and see if he could spot anything else in the field. Luckily he decided to check behind us before he climbed the tree because there was a longbeard and hen working their way towards us. We got back into the blind got set back up and about 5 minutes later. The hen was in the decoys and the tom was putting on the spinners next to the jake decoy. Bullhead to the throat put him down for the count.
Now we could move to where we wanted to go earlier. Got moved over there and set the blind and the decoys and the last bead of sweat dropped while I was putting on my release and birds started coming to the field. This was the big group with two gobblers we have been trying to kill and were our focus this particular morning. In normal fashion these two clowns proceeded to look at the decoys and walk an extra 150 yards out of the way to get around us. Typical! :moon: So we decided to use the systematic elimination of non productive hunting ground and moved to the next spot.
While we were deciding to where to set up Scott noticed a turkey feather. Then another, and another, soon it was obvious a gunshot earlier had come from where we were going to set up. I hate trespassers! On to the next spot. Driving through the field to get to our parking spot we started to clear a rise and I saw a longbeard in the field. We backed up, parked and were set up and ready. Started to call and finally got a distant gobble. 20 minutes later a single longbeard appears and looks interested. Gets to about 60 yards and veers behind the blind. Trying to decide if I was going to shoot him with no video I finally decided what the heck. I opened the window and waited and finally he decided he had enough of the shenanigans and was headed out. I touched the release and hit him mid body with a bullhead and the arrow stuck in him. I was not happy with myself at all. No video and bad decision to take the shot.
While cussing myself and pouting I looked up and another gobbler had entered the field and was looking interested. Scott was getting his release on, getting an arrow ready and I was trying to get the camera ready. Previously we had talked to the farmer and he told us he was going to fertilize this particular farm and would be there in the afternoon. Back to the story at hand. Scott was ready and the bird decided to go into I am going to peck my way up to your set up mode. He gets about 45 yards out and we hear the tractor coming! I can feel Scott start to tense up. Tractor pulls part way into the field and backs out. He saw the turkey and didn't want to mess anything up so went to do another field quick. Very generous move on his part. The bird keeps coming sees the breeder on the ground and now it is game on. Sticks the beak in the air and walks real tall and tough... Gets to the jake decoy and is going to put the whackin to it and a gust of wind blows a window behind Scott and the bird decides this is no good. However, he took his last 5 steps before a bullhead to the back of the head sent him to the dirt without a twitch. Weasel is tagged out. :way: We had another bird fired up but the tractor finally came and it was time to look for my bird and head home anyway.
We went to look for mine, no blood, one feather and not a sign. First bird I have lost in a long, long time. Still not happy with my decision but know what I will do from now on. Still learning which is a good thing. Video is awesome.
. But we knew eventually we would see something. That something happened to be a yote Weasel missed at point blank range this winter and he stopped by to say hey to Scott and he was on his way... After things settled down a lone tom finally entered the field and we were already planning on where we were going to go after we shot him. NOT! Stubborn and scared he finally made his way up the ridge and skirted at 51 yards. We were then sitting pouting trying to decide where to go next minus the bird. Scott got out of the blind and was going to climb into his treestand we set up next to and see if he could spot anything else in the field. Luckily he decided to check behind us before he climbed the tree because there was a longbeard and hen working their way towards us. We got back into the blind got set back up and about 5 minutes later. The hen was in the decoys and the tom was putting on the spinners next to the jake decoy. Bullhead to the throat put him down for the count.
Now we could move to where we wanted to go earlier. Got moved over there and set the blind and the decoys and the last bead of sweat dropped while I was putting on my release and birds started coming to the field. This was the big group with two gobblers we have been trying to kill and were our focus this particular morning. In normal fashion these two clowns proceeded to look at the decoys and walk an extra 150 yards out of the way to get around us. Typical! :moon: So we decided to use the systematic elimination of non productive hunting ground and moved to the next spot.
While we were deciding to where to set up Scott noticed a turkey feather. Then another, and another, soon it was obvious a gunshot earlier had come from where we were going to set up. I hate trespassers! On to the next spot. Driving through the field to get to our parking spot we started to clear a rise and I saw a longbeard in the field. We backed up, parked and were set up and ready. Started to call and finally got a distant gobble. 20 minutes later a single longbeard appears and looks interested. Gets to about 60 yards and veers behind the blind. Trying to decide if I was going to shoot him with no video I finally decided what the heck. I opened the window and waited and finally he decided he had enough of the shenanigans and was headed out. I touched the release and hit him mid body with a bullhead and the arrow stuck in him. I was not happy with myself at all. No video and bad decision to take the shot.
While cussing myself and pouting I looked up and another gobbler had entered the field and was looking interested. Scott was getting his release on, getting an arrow ready and I was trying to get the camera ready. Previously we had talked to the farmer and he told us he was going to fertilize this particular farm and would be there in the afternoon. Back to the story at hand. Scott was ready and the bird decided to go into I am going to peck my way up to your set up mode. He gets about 45 yards out and we hear the tractor coming! I can feel Scott start to tense up. Tractor pulls part way into the field and backs out. He saw the turkey and didn't want to mess anything up so went to do another field quick. Very generous move on his part. The bird keeps coming sees the breeder on the ground and now it is game on. Sticks the beak in the air and walks real tall and tough... Gets to the jake decoy and is going to put the whackin to it and a gust of wind blows a window behind Scott and the bird decides this is no good. However, he took his last 5 steps before a bullhead to the back of the head sent him to the dirt without a twitch. Weasel is tagged out. :way: We had another bird fired up but the tractor finally came and it was time to look for my bird and head home anyway.
We went to look for mine, no blood, one feather and not a sign. First bird I have lost in a long, long time. Still not happy with my decision but know what I will do from now on. Still learning which is a good thing. Video is awesome.
