After missing the 2016 turkey season in Iowa I vowed not to let that happen again this year.
So last week I made the 6 hour drive to visit a best friend and turkey hunting master.
Friday found me in a large pasture slowly being converted back to native prairie. I was surrounded by deep ravines and restored oak savannas.
I spent 10 hours staring at these 2 out my blinds window.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2809/34124238971_b2875b2a77.jpg)
Meadow larks kept me company. But if not for one bearded lady with a girl friend, the turkeys were a no show.
We pow wowed that night and decided a move of several hundred yards was in order.
3 30 am's alarm was not very welcoming . But the coffee pot was on and we were out the door by 4 am.
We reset the blind on the same old farm road but in the vicinity closer to where I thought most of the prior days roosting gobbles had come from .
I added a bedded hen to the decoy set up. one standing hen at 6 yards, the bedded hen at 8 and the Jake at 10.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2851/33444623433_5c498a0e1c.jpg)
I had hoped the birds would be roosted in a 100 to 200 yard radius. They had been in a fighting mood the week before according to my host.
It was about 30 minutes to shooting light when the first roosted bird let out a gobble. He sounded almost too close. As it got closer to pink light more gobbles rang out from birds in all directions. But the first bird , who was the nearest did not sound off again.
I gave a few soft tree yelps and the more distant birds gobbled back at once.
I could now see well enough to shoot and gave a few more soft yelps. Instantly a gobble rang out directly behind me and on the ground!
I had hoped the birds would come in from my right on the road. I picked up my bow , just as a Tom ran in silently from my right. He bumped up against the Jake. He made a few purring noises as he began to push against the Jake decoy. I was temped to shoot but told myself to wait for the perfect shot, This Tom was not going any where.
As he circled around the back it was clear he was a boss Tom.
When he rounded the front of the decoy, I waited for him to be completely broadside. He stopped and I picked my spot and let the arrow go.
At impact, he jumped straight up and fell down landing on his back. He back flipped three times and was dead 8 feet from the blind.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2808/34097557332_af1d0b60a6.jpg)
while this was Tom #11 for me , it was my 1st with my Hill country longbow.
He weighed a whopping 29 pounds, 2 oz on the certified scale at the local meat market.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2895/33870930340_00b4c2ef86.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2839/34212346556_41649c601a.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2888/33411566464_14b79aea95.jpg)
He is one of the most beautiful Toms I have ever seen and I didn't have it my heart to take him apart. He going to be placed in the yurt, flying in the rafters for me to look at and remember a most amazing morning. BTW, legal shooting light was 5:57 am . I shot him at 6: 04 am.
Very nice
Real nice bird! Congrats! Looks like a real neat place to hunt
Gorgous bird.I would mount that one as well.I had one mounted gobbling from the roost.Tail fan about 2/3rds spread.Throwing a gobble out.Head low and extended.My favorite mount.
Twenty nine pounds.Holy cow!What a Butterball.
How long were his spurs and beard?
Congrats.
Well done !!Great post.
Deno
Congrats.
Well done!
Congrats!
Well that's getting back at it in style.
We don't have turkeys up here, but even I can see that is a dandy.
Thanks for sharing.
If a a 29lb bird was killed in Virginia, you had better called Guinness! Nice job!
That's a fantastic gobbler, congrats.
Congratulations!! Thanks for sharing, always enjoy your hunting posts.
Excellent bird! Thanks for sharing
Congrats
Jeff
Congrats Jim, that is a great bird, and a nice, quick, clean kill. :thumbsup:
David
Great bird and he sure is a beauty! Is your Hill Country a 56" Bobcat? I've been playing around with the idea of trying a 56" Bobcat or their new Badger.
Awesome bird!
Congrats,
Bisch
Wow! What a bird! Congrats to you!
Tremendous bird!! Way to go!
That is one big bird! Congratulations.
Darren
:notworthy: :notworthy:
What kind of broadhead, and did you shoot it through mesh?
Awesome story thanks for sharing. Congrats
Beautiful bird, congrats.
That's an awesome Gobbler,Jim! Congrats!
WOW :eek:
That's a big Tom!
What kind of bow is that?..Timber Ghost?
Great job jim way to get it done!
Nice Jim. Beautiful bird. Congrats...
That's the way to do it. And a big un. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Way to go Jim! That's really a beautiful bird! :thumbsup:
Bernie
Wow! Awesome job.
very awesome ! Good job !
Nice bird! Congrats!
Great story and super nice bird. Congratulations!!
A whopper of a gobbler!
:thumbsup:
Excellent story, and I applaud your decision to keep him where you can see him.
What a gorgeous bird, and a monster to boot!
wow, nicely done! your posts are always topnotch, and that's a dandy bird
Congrats Jim! That gobbler will look awesome in your yurt! :thumbsup:
Beautiful bird! A great memory to preserve.
Fantastic bird, Jim!
Great Stuff !
Way to go!
Awesome Bird! Congrats!
Wow! That is one big boy. Good for you. What broadhead?
Very good post and great pictures :thumbsup:
Very nice
, great bird congrats
Congrats very nice bird.
Congratulations on a beautiful bird Jim!
-Jay
Nice job!
It's great to read the full story here Jim. Congrats again on a really special bird!
In my mind turkey hunting is all about being where the birds want to be at the time they want to be there. Your observations the first day paid off in spades!
Awesome bird! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Wow!!! That's a Big Tom. Congrats
Steve Jr
That is a nice looking bird Jim. Congratulations
That bird would put Butterball Co. To shame. Congrats, well done.
Congrats Jim great bird
Wow! That is one HUGE bird, and with a fractured thumb myself, I really appreciate the story and the pictures. I could picture myself in that blind!
Congrats!
Excellent, quite an acoomplishment...what did he have for hooks?
:thumbsup: Way to go Jim. Congrats!
Wow that's amazing congrats and great shooting
outstanding!
What an awesome bird! He is HUGE!!
My daughter shot a nice bird during youth season, but the birds have been tough this year for me. I had a nice gobbler at 35 yards Monday morning, but he was with hens and just would get any closer. Plenty close for a gun, but not for me and my bow.
Very nice!!
Congrats, beautiful bird..... :thumbsup:
Dandy bird. Congrats! And, it's great that you will be able to look at him in all of his glory in your yurt.
awesome congrats...
Outstanding harvest...thank you for sharing
What bird and good story telling.
Congrats