JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
I picked up a used Bowtech Assassin earlier this year and I have spent lots of blind time with it. The Toms haven’t seem interested in the decoys, never had a tom answer a call until yesterday. He’d gobble back, but I could hear him heading away, figured he was following a hen.
Went back today and the Boss was gobbling from the roost. Today I played it silent. I heard him gobbling in a circle and my blind seemed to be the hub. I saw a hen come out into the field I was in, hoped he was soon to follow. Sure enough, he comes through the fence and stops occasionally to strut and gobble. The hen was pretty indifferent to his antics and her path was not going to bring him past me.
About this time, two jakes come through the fence. They are closer to me than the hen and Boss. I called a little with the slate and striker. The jakes craned their heads, saw my decoys and started jogging towards me. Now the quandary: will I shoot a jake if they come in? Bird in the hand scenario? The Boss started following the jakes, making the decision even more difficult. As I said, it's been many hours in the blind without any bearded turkeys in range......
The jakes cross the creek and get in the hayfield behind the blind. The Boss crosses and starts fanning for my decoys. I softly call with the reed, next thing I know he is sprinting for my decoys. It was a scramble to get positioned and draw before he got to the hen decoy. He stops short, goes into strut with his backside exposed. I put the pin at the base of his tail and hit the release; 7 yard Texas heart shot. He tries to do a slow run away, gets slower with every step, he piles up after 15 yards.
The jakes come down to visit him, I thought about doubling up with one of them since I have a second archery tag in my pocket, but let them live another day.
Beard: couple strands were 10.5”, most was 10"
Spurs: right was busted- 1”, left- 1.25”
Weight: 27lbs
Went back today and the Boss was gobbling from the roost. Today I played it silent. I heard him gobbling in a circle and my blind seemed to be the hub. I saw a hen come out into the field I was in, hoped he was soon to follow. Sure enough, he comes through the fence and stops occasionally to strut and gobble. The hen was pretty indifferent to his antics and her path was not going to bring him past me.
About this time, two jakes come through the fence. They are closer to me than the hen and Boss. I called a little with the slate and striker. The jakes craned their heads, saw my decoys and started jogging towards me. Now the quandary: will I shoot a jake if they come in? Bird in the hand scenario? The Boss started following the jakes, making the decision even more difficult. As I said, it's been many hours in the blind without any bearded turkeys in range......
The jakes cross the creek and get in the hayfield behind the blind. The Boss crosses and starts fanning for my decoys. I softly call with the reed, next thing I know he is sprinting for my decoys. It was a scramble to get positioned and draw before he got to the hen decoy. He stops short, goes into strut with his backside exposed. I put the pin at the base of his tail and hit the release; 7 yard Texas heart shot. He tries to do a slow run away, gets slower with every step, he piles up after 15 yards.
The jakes come down to visit him, I thought about doubling up with one of them since I have a second archery tag in my pocket, but let them live another day.
Beard: couple strands were 10.5”, most was 10"
Spurs: right was busted- 1”, left- 1.25”
Weight: 27lbs
