This was my first time hunting gobblers with a bow. I made a commitment to myself before the season that I would try this year to shoot one with the Hoyt, without the aid of a blind. It sounded very difficult (it is!) and has been great fun thus far.
Saturday morning was the best. My honey-hole had no less than 6 toms gobbling @ 5:30 a.m. At 5:55 I was joined on the ground by 1 hen, 1 jake and 4 strutting toms. They were answering calls and responding to everything I did just like you see on TV! Anyhow...I had all 5 birds working towards me and was able to get drawn back and hold the draw for about a minute and half. I connected with one of the mature birds at 34 yards (much longer shot that I'd thought I would take). From there it was a race back to the treeline. He got there first and I'm very sorry to say that after several hours of crawling through thorns I don't have the trophy to go with my story. I know that bird is out there dead in the brush as it was a well placed shot. My only hope at this point is to wait a few days to see if I can smell him.
This experience has been great! To those that haven't tried with the bow OR a blind I would suggest it. Although my ending is a little bittersweet I'll never forget yesterday morning. It was truly the most challenging hunting I've done yet. Shotgunning in the future (if I do it!) is going to be EASY!
Saturday morning was the best. My honey-hole had no less than 6 toms gobbling @ 5:30 a.m. At 5:55 I was joined on the ground by 1 hen, 1 jake and 4 strutting toms. They were answering calls and responding to everything I did just like you see on TV! Anyhow...I had all 5 birds working towards me and was able to get drawn back and hold the draw for about a minute and half. I connected with one of the mature birds at 34 yards (much longer shot that I'd thought I would take). From there it was a race back to the treeline. He got there first and I'm very sorry to say that after several hours of crawling through thorns I don't have the trophy to go with my story. I know that bird is out there dead in the brush as it was a well placed shot. My only hope at this point is to wait a few days to see if I can smell him.
This experience has been great! To those that haven't tried with the bow OR a blind I would suggest it. Although my ending is a little bittersweet I'll never forget yesterday morning. It was truly the most challenging hunting I've done yet. Shotgunning in the future (if I do it!) is going to be EASY!
