mudingbuck
PMA Member
The wife and I took Friday off work, so Thursday night we headed south to hunt some thunder chickens. We made it to our good friends house in SW Iowa, but too late to do any scouting. I have been hunting there since '02 and had a good idea where to go. Although I have only shot one bird off this ground in 11 years I knew the numbers where up. Friday morning came around to quickly, but we drug ourselves out of bed around 4:15. We only had a 15 minute drive but there was a lot of work to do with setting up the blind and everything.
We were set up and waiting about 5:45. Just in time for the wood to waking up! Gobbles everywhere. We had picked the right spot. At 6:10 we had a strutter strutting towards our spread! He didn't care about our hens, he went right to work on the DSD jake. After a few quick seconds I told the wife to take the shot whenever she had a chance. BOOM! Turkey was flopping all over. He got behind the blind and all the flopping was done. 1 bird down!
With the bang of the gun another turkey sounded off. We called to him and he was coming. So I got the bow and was all ready. Called again and he had started working away. Few more minutes later he was coming again. The more I called the more he gobbled. This was a turkey that surly wanted to hold my arrow! Then he started working away again. This went on for about 30 minutes. Finally I had had enough and was ready to go collect the wives first Tom. We got out and there was no sign of him. We looked for a while and spooked about 30 birds. Crap. This spot was shot. So we went back to the blind and were getting ready to take a good ole turkey nap! Just as Laura was dosing off I saw that bird we had been working and he was at 15 yard and heading right for the DSD jake. After arguing with the wife I convinced her it is ok to shot this one and that I would get my chance. BOOM! This one was dead right where she shot him! This was at 8 AM. We sat until dark and never saw another turkey.
A double bearder. 24 pounds. One beard was 11 inches and the other 7 Spurs were right at 1 inch each!
Saturday came along and the wife decided to stay in bed. Since it was our 11 year anniversary and she is 4 months pregnant I decided she would get the pass. So I went out by myself. I had a lot of tree gobbling. After fly down I didn't hear much until about 7:30 when I had two gobblers answer my calls. After a few minutes I called again and they had cut the distance in half! As they were coming in I heard a truck come down the road and stop. Then I heard them fly off. I didn't hear another gobble the rest of the day. I did have a Tom come in silently. He came across the top of the hill. As soon as he saw the DSD jake he came in on a string. I let him come all they way to the jake and as he was pecking on him I drew my bow. Well he caught me and took off running. I made some sort of noises with my mouth and he slowed enough for me to take a shot. 30 yards and I put an arrow right up the number 2 hole. He flew 30 to 40 yards and dropped. 2 down! 1 to go!
Best Bird of the year! 22 pounds 10" beard 1 1/16 and 1 inch spurs.
Today I went out by myself again. The plan was to hunt until 11 or so. Birds were gobbling everywhere. I gave a few tree yelps. Once they hit the ground they didn't gobble any more. So I didn't call anymore. At 6:30 I had two hens and a Tom come into the field. Once again as soon as the Tom saw that DSD jake it was on! He started beating on him and then mounted him. I was worried about shooting my decoy so i was trying to wait until I had a better shot, but I couldn't take it. I let him have it. Well I hit him. How good? I wasn't sure. He jumped off my DSD and was just standing there kind of wobbling. Well I don't care how good the shot is, if you get a chance for a second shot, TAKE IT. So I dug for another arrow. I pulled one out of my quiver and it was one I used in Nebraska and the blades were all messed up. I grabbed another. Once again it was an arrow I used to shoot the one the day before. Finally I grabbed an arrow that I could use. By this time he had hobbled off to about 30 yards and I stuck him again. Down he went! TAGED OUT IN IOWA!
23.5 pounds 9 inch beard 1 inch spur and the other one was broke of at 1/4 inch
We were set up and waiting about 5:45. Just in time for the wood to waking up! Gobbles everywhere. We had picked the right spot. At 6:10 we had a strutter strutting towards our spread! He didn't care about our hens, he went right to work on the DSD jake. After a few quick seconds I told the wife to take the shot whenever she had a chance. BOOM! Turkey was flopping all over. He got behind the blind and all the flopping was done. 1 bird down!
With the bang of the gun another turkey sounded off. We called to him and he was coming. So I got the bow and was all ready. Called again and he had started working away. Few more minutes later he was coming again. The more I called the more he gobbled. This was a turkey that surly wanted to hold my arrow! Then he started working away again. This went on for about 30 minutes. Finally I had had enough and was ready to go collect the wives first Tom. We got out and there was no sign of him. We looked for a while and spooked about 30 birds. Crap. This spot was shot. So we went back to the blind and were getting ready to take a good ole turkey nap! Just as Laura was dosing off I saw that bird we had been working and he was at 15 yard and heading right for the DSD jake. After arguing with the wife I convinced her it is ok to shot this one and that I would get my chance. BOOM! This one was dead right where she shot him! This was at 8 AM. We sat until dark and never saw another turkey.
A double bearder. 24 pounds. One beard was 11 inches and the other 7 Spurs were right at 1 inch each!
Saturday came along and the wife decided to stay in bed. Since it was our 11 year anniversary and she is 4 months pregnant I decided she would get the pass. So I went out by myself. I had a lot of tree gobbling. After fly down I didn't hear much until about 7:30 when I had two gobblers answer my calls. After a few minutes I called again and they had cut the distance in half! As they were coming in I heard a truck come down the road and stop. Then I heard them fly off. I didn't hear another gobble the rest of the day. I did have a Tom come in silently. He came across the top of the hill. As soon as he saw the DSD jake he came in on a string. I let him come all they way to the jake and as he was pecking on him I drew my bow. Well he caught me and took off running. I made some sort of noises with my mouth and he slowed enough for me to take a shot. 30 yards and I put an arrow right up the number 2 hole. He flew 30 to 40 yards and dropped. 2 down! 1 to go!
Best Bird of the year! 22 pounds 10" beard 1 1/16 and 1 inch spurs.
Today I went out by myself again. The plan was to hunt until 11 or so. Birds were gobbling everywhere. I gave a few tree yelps. Once they hit the ground they didn't gobble any more. So I didn't call anymore. At 6:30 I had two hens and a Tom come into the field. Once again as soon as the Tom saw that DSD jake it was on! He started beating on him and then mounted him. I was worried about shooting my decoy so i was trying to wait until I had a better shot, but I couldn't take it. I let him have it. Well I hit him. How good? I wasn't sure. He jumped off my DSD and was just standing there kind of wobbling. Well I don't care how good the shot is, if you get a chance for a second shot, TAKE IT. So I dug for another arrow. I pulled one out of my quiver and it was one I used in Nebraska and the blades were all messed up. I grabbed another. Once again it was an arrow I used to shoot the one the day before. Finally I grabbed an arrow that I could use. By this time he had hobbled off to about 30 yards and I stuck him again. Down he went! TAGED OUT IN IOWA!
23.5 pounds 9 inch beard 1 inch spur and the other one was broke of at 1/4 inch
you got a couple good ones! And a double beard to boot..
