sureshot
The Hunt Never Ends....
MEGA HOOKED TOM DOWN! My first bow bird (Story and Pictures Added)
After 7 days in a row I finally got it done. No time for stories or pictures, I'll post those later. If you want to watch the video, click on the link below! I'm hooked to this bowhunting turkeys thing now :way:
http://chrisandblake.bowhuntingroad.com/2012/04/27/chris-finally-connects-big-bird-down/
After killing turkeys for many years with the shotgun, I decided to give the bow a try. This was something that I had always wanted to try, but had never really made the time for. This year, I decided it was time to 'make the jump' and try to kill my first tom with a bow.
I hunted hard for 7 days straight (All morning on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday....then later afternoons mon-thur after I got off work), and was finally able to connect with my biggest tom yet on April 26th.
On Tuesday, April 24th I got off work at 3:30 and headed home to grab my hunting gear. After gathering my gear, I made my way to a field that I had been seeing toms frequent quite often. It was 4:30PM when I parked my truck and entered the field, when I noticed a tom strutting right where I was going to setup on the far west side of the field. I decided that I would sit tight and watch what he did. I thought that maybe he would work his way out of the field and I could setup undetected. I watched as the tom strutted out across the field towards the east and enter the timber where a logging road entered the field. I quickly setup in the west corner and it wasn't long before I was seeing turkeys. Hens were feeding to my left when I suddenly caught movement directly in front of my blind. Two toms entered the field at 70yards, but wouldn't come into my setup as it was already 7:40 (20minutes before dark). I noticed that one of the toms had a very skinny beard. Almost as quickly as they entered the field, they gobbled and walked south back into the woods before going to roost 110yards from my blind. I waited for darkness to set in before packing my gear and heading home.
On Wednesday I decided to hunt another field but didn't have any luck. Actually, I got skunked and didn't see a bird.
Thursday rolled around and as soon as I got off work I once again headed home, gathered my gear, and headed back to the field where I had the close enounter with the skinny bearded tom and his buddy. This time I got there 40min earlier in hopes of setting up in the west corner of the field where they had come out on Tuesday, however once again after arriving the tom was already strutting in the west corner. This time instead of waiting to see what he did, I made the decision to high tail it back to my car and drive to the other side of the farm to setup on the opposite side of the field where I had watched the tom walk too two evenings before. A heavily wooded fencerow allowed me to remain undetected as I walked along the opposite side of the field. Just before entering the field I climbed up in an old treestand to look to see if the tom was still in the opposite corner. Sure enough he was still strutting. I quickly set up the blind and decoys and waited.
45minutes later I looked up and saw a bird walking through the field to my west (near where the bird was strutting earlier). After a quick inspection with my binoculars, it was clear to me that the skinny bearded tom was the bird that was in the field. He had not yet noticed my decoys so I yelped a few times on my Flextone mouth call. He looked my direction, went into half strut and was on his way. From 200yds out the skinny bearded tom put on a show. He strutted into my setup, first checking out my hen at 8yards before spitting and drumming his way to my tom deke (tiny tim). At 6yards, the tom put walked around the back side of 'Tiny Tim' where he was 'blinded' by my decoys tail fan. It was now that I drew my bow, and as soon as he strutted out on the other side I let the arrow rip.
I watched as the arrow hit a bit back, and the skinny bearded tom immediately jumped into the air and limped out of the field. I could tell he was hurt bad, so I waited approximately 15minutes before pursuing him. The blood trail was great, and I thought to myself 'there is now way this turkey is still alive.' However, in my many years of hunting turkeys I realized that they are extremely tough animals so I had an arrow knocked just in case. I made my way 70yards through the field, following blood, when I entered the timber and suddenly heard rustling directly in front of me. At 10 yards the big tom jumped up and I immediately drew my bow. He didn't go far and I released another arrow that 'hit home.' The skinny bearded bird was done. I proudly approached him, and quickly found that my first bow bird sported what are now the biggest spurs out of any bird I have shot measuring 1 4/8 inches.
The challenge, thrill, and excitement I experienced bowhunting birds this season has me hooked on chasing them with a stick and string. It was a great experience, and one that I'm not soon going to forget!
-Chris
After 7 days in a row I finally got it done. No time for stories or pictures, I'll post those later. If you want to watch the video, click on the link below! I'm hooked to this bowhunting turkeys thing now :way:
http://chrisandblake.bowhuntingroad.com/2012/04/27/chris-finally-connects-big-bird-down/
After killing turkeys for many years with the shotgun, I decided to give the bow a try. This was something that I had always wanted to try, but had never really made the time for. This year, I decided it was time to 'make the jump' and try to kill my first tom with a bow.
I hunted hard for 7 days straight (All morning on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday....then later afternoons mon-thur after I got off work), and was finally able to connect with my biggest tom yet on April 26th.
On Tuesday, April 24th I got off work at 3:30 and headed home to grab my hunting gear. After gathering my gear, I made my way to a field that I had been seeing toms frequent quite often. It was 4:30PM when I parked my truck and entered the field, when I noticed a tom strutting right where I was going to setup on the far west side of the field. I decided that I would sit tight and watch what he did. I thought that maybe he would work his way out of the field and I could setup undetected. I watched as the tom strutted out across the field towards the east and enter the timber where a logging road entered the field. I quickly setup in the west corner and it wasn't long before I was seeing turkeys. Hens were feeding to my left when I suddenly caught movement directly in front of my blind. Two toms entered the field at 70yards, but wouldn't come into my setup as it was already 7:40 (20minutes before dark). I noticed that one of the toms had a very skinny beard. Almost as quickly as they entered the field, they gobbled and walked south back into the woods before going to roost 110yards from my blind. I waited for darkness to set in before packing my gear and heading home.
On Wednesday I decided to hunt another field but didn't have any luck. Actually, I got skunked and didn't see a bird.
Thursday rolled around and as soon as I got off work I once again headed home, gathered my gear, and headed back to the field where I had the close enounter with the skinny bearded tom and his buddy. This time I got there 40min earlier in hopes of setting up in the west corner of the field where they had come out on Tuesday, however once again after arriving the tom was already strutting in the west corner. This time instead of waiting to see what he did, I made the decision to high tail it back to my car and drive to the other side of the farm to setup on the opposite side of the field where I had watched the tom walk too two evenings before. A heavily wooded fencerow allowed me to remain undetected as I walked along the opposite side of the field. Just before entering the field I climbed up in an old treestand to look to see if the tom was still in the opposite corner. Sure enough he was still strutting. I quickly set up the blind and decoys and waited.
45minutes later I looked up and saw a bird walking through the field to my west (near where the bird was strutting earlier). After a quick inspection with my binoculars, it was clear to me that the skinny bearded tom was the bird that was in the field. He had not yet noticed my decoys so I yelped a few times on my Flextone mouth call. He looked my direction, went into half strut and was on his way. From 200yds out the skinny bearded tom put on a show. He strutted into my setup, first checking out my hen at 8yards before spitting and drumming his way to my tom deke (tiny tim). At 6yards, the tom put walked around the back side of 'Tiny Tim' where he was 'blinded' by my decoys tail fan. It was now that I drew my bow, and as soon as he strutted out on the other side I let the arrow rip.
I watched as the arrow hit a bit back, and the skinny bearded tom immediately jumped into the air and limped out of the field. I could tell he was hurt bad, so I waited approximately 15minutes before pursuing him. The blood trail was great, and I thought to myself 'there is now way this turkey is still alive.' However, in my many years of hunting turkeys I realized that they are extremely tough animals so I had an arrow knocked just in case. I made my way 70yards through the field, following blood, when I entered the timber and suddenly heard rustling directly in front of me. At 10 yards the big tom jumped up and I immediately drew my bow. He didn't go far and I released another arrow that 'hit home.' The skinny bearded bird was done. I proudly approached him, and quickly found that my first bow bird sported what are now the biggest spurs out of any bird I have shot measuring 1 4/8 inches.
The challenge, thrill, and excitement I experienced bowhunting birds this season has me hooked on chasing them with a stick and string. It was a great experience, and one that I'm not soon going to forget!
-Chris
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