Bowtech84
Well-Known Member
Tagged a two year old tom that cautiously came to the dsd with another tom on opening day and so I decided to get two bow tags and it's been quite the adventure since.
After several missed opportunities I was about to call it a season but last night I decided to give it another shot this morning. Alarm went off at 345 and I woke up to the wind howling so I forced myself to get in the pickup and drive to my spot. Their were plenty of birds on roost as usual but after fly down they shut off. I sat there till about 8 calling occasionally but never got a response so I started packing things up inside the blind and stepped out to get the decoys. When I reached down to grab the hen decoy I heard a gobble over the hill from me so I walked to the top of the hump and let out a couple yelps. He immediately cut me off so I slowly started walking back toward the blind stopping and yelping every 30 yards trying to make him think the hen was walking away. He answered every time so I climbed back in the blind nocked an arrow and put the release back on. Things went quite for a bit but the next time he gobbled he was right behind the blind. I watched him and another tom come around the corner of the blind and head for the decoys. One went for the strutter and the other mounted the hen decoy (was laying on the ground because I forgot to put her back on the stake before I climbed back in the blind). I drew back and settled the pin on the tom harassing my strutter and when I released he did a back flip and that was that. The other tom continued to molest the hen decoy for at least 15 min before I got out and scared him off. He ended up being a nice double bearded bird with huge hooks but he only weighed 19lbs 14ozs? Congrats to those who have tagged, good luck to those still trying. Thanks all for sharing.
After several missed opportunities I was about to call it a season but last night I decided to give it another shot this morning. Alarm went off at 345 and I woke up to the wind howling so I forced myself to get in the pickup and drive to my spot. Their were plenty of birds on roost as usual but after fly down they shut off. I sat there till about 8 calling occasionally but never got a response so I started packing things up inside the blind and stepped out to get the decoys. When I reached down to grab the hen decoy I heard a gobble over the hill from me so I walked to the top of the hump and let out a couple yelps. He immediately cut me off so I slowly started walking back toward the blind stopping and yelping every 30 yards trying to make him think the hen was walking away. He answered every time so I climbed back in the blind nocked an arrow and put the release back on. Things went quite for a bit but the next time he gobbled he was right behind the blind. I watched him and another tom come around the corner of the blind and head for the decoys. One went for the strutter and the other mounted the hen decoy (was laying on the ground because I forgot to put her back on the stake before I climbed back in the blind). I drew back and settled the pin on the tom harassing my strutter and when I released he did a back flip and that was that. The other tom continued to molest the hen decoy for at least 15 min before I got out and scared him off. He ended up being a nice double bearded bird with huge hooks but he only weighed 19lbs 14ozs? Congrats to those who have tagged, good luck to those still trying. Thanks all for sharing.
