N.Y. saeson officially opened this past Thurs.,but because of work, I haven't had a chance to hunt yet. Today I was like a kid before his first opening day! I mean my stomach was a little nervous and in a knot, with anticipation.I read about a lot of folks that have this feeling fade as they grow older and get more seasons under their belt. Not so with me,I'm getting worse I think!
I've been scouting every morning between 5-6:00,then charge off to work. I've done great finding birds and figuring out some consistencies in their movement. As usual I've named a few, there's "Gilbert Grape", "Callaway" ,"Titleist","Bilboe", and "Romeo"....all nice mature Tom's that have shown some "chinks in their armor" and to quote a line from the movie Terminator,"have been targeted for termination"
I know I won't sleep for beans tonight,waking up every hour to make sure I don't sleep through my alarm,or in case it doesn't go off.
Just hope the weather holds up, calling for rain and possible thunderstorms....but I'll be out there anyway. Just roosted "Romeo" and "Callaway",they were right where I thought they'd be.....
Sitka gear is ready....Black Kwyk Styk "Cy" is good to go....
I have a long walk to get to "Callaway" in the morning,but I'll be up early and will hopefully have everything set up in the dark. He should hit the ground about 5:15-5:20.........
good luck man, turkeys have been pretty vocal here even through some ruff weather.
GOOD LUCK TO You GURU!! :thumbsup: :archer:
Good luck Curt.. Bag one of them Thunder Chickens
Curt I know exactly what ya mean about it getting worse as you get older,the fire in me burns hotter than it ever has & I hope it never changes....Good Luck to ya in the morning.
Thanx so much guys...
Mark, I know you know how I feel,it's even worse when you just don't have time to feed the hunger....
Best of luck bud. I will text ya at 6am. I just sent one. I set the blind and things look great, lets double up tomorrow!! Talk to ya in the morning. Shawn
Good Luck!
Good luck Curt! :D
Good luck fellas!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:
I wish you the best. I'm heading to Ohio in about 15 minutes.
It sounds like you did your homework :thumbsup: Good luck Curt, I'm wishing you a successful season.
Lets see now...... It's 7:45 AM and I'm home on this PC and not out huntin' turkey! :(
Get One For Me Buddy!
... mike ...
THats going to be good...yes sir made a hunt, a week ago, cant wait to get back out there...it burns deep........whole time I was smokin my meat hog , I played the hunt over and over in my mind..go get em Guru,,Marco#78 :wavey: :thumbsup:
Curt will have some news for ya. I spoke to him this am. I myself had a wonderful morning. I am gonna post on NY thread. Shawn
Good luck, keep us posted !
Go get em Curt :thumbsup: :goldtooth:
Good luck bud.
Tracy
Good luck Curt...and go "Snufferize" one!
He ain't back yet?
Prolly looking for a taxidermist...
Killdeer :rolleyes:
Same thing for me. I've been working six days a week and today was my first day out this year. I couldn't wait.It doesn't help that I work outside and lately I have been watching the birds in all the fields while at work. Well, I talked to quite a few different birds but none would come closer than fifty yards this morning. I had constant action for 4 hours. Enough to rejuvenate the soul. It's been awhile since deer season and being in the woods felt great. Hope you Got a bird curt. Looking forward to a success story.
Would congrats be premature?
Thanx guys....hunt went almost just as planned,but I'm waiting now...have some unfinished business to take care of...... :pray:
Good deal....can't wait to hear the story...
Curt , hope it all works out for ya :0)
SWEET......What is the "ALMOST AS PLANNED" part ?? (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d171/IronBull_/Smileys/hair-1.gif)
Don't be Lam"O"n on us Curt, Were big children we can handle it (http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d171/IronBull_/Smileys/beggingpleasesmiley.gif)
He's coupling up the tracking ferrets now.
Big ol' bird musta broken his string tracker. Either that or Photobucket burped his pictures back up.
Killdeer :archer:
Sorry I did not call ya bud! I could not find my bird, Mae did her best but too many turkeys running around for her to track just one. What happened? Shawn
Good luck Bro!
He set-up for Callaway and Romeo showed up. Principled as he is, he just couldn't bring himself to shoot, even though this was the first and only day he had available for hunting.
:rolleyes: :p
Come on Curt, knock-knock!
Tap-tap!
Killie, Curt probably set the hook too hard and broke the line. Come on Guru!! :banghead:
Hope you success Curt.... :thumbsup:
go get em curt :archer:
Hey Curt,ahem,we're waitin...........
He thoughht he was still in Georgia, and is busy trying to explain to the farmer what happened to his pig.
:scared:
C'Mon Curt! I told my story, now you tell yours!
YeeHa!
Wait a minute!! Like we ain't been waiting long enough as it is! You didn't "miss" did ya?? Maybe that's why he's so quiet.
:coffee:
Aram's hitting the coffee at 7:45 PM? It's gonna be a lonnnngggggg night. :campfire:
I'm sorry to keep you'all in the dark for so long,not intentional......I had an awesome hunt,with a very unfortunate ending......
...I seriously thought about making this thread disappear,but had so much support from you guys that I figured the least I could was let ya know a little about it...
My hunt included everything from perceived success on the ugliest turkey I've ever seen, good pix, awesome video of a gobbler "being self sufficient" and a hen 6 yds away preening her feathers, a blood trail, a lot of string "tracking", a lot of waiting, thinking the situation thru and doing everything "right", but nothing to show for it....
I guess sometimes things aren't as they appear.....
it's a long story and a learning experience....
All part of it Curt,get back out there and do er again! Hate you lost him,but it happens to everybody if they hunt enough!
I know exactly how you feel, we did double up,in a bad way. I could not find my bird and Mae did her best. Keep at it!! I am tryng again in the morning! Shawn
Sorry he got away, that's a tough pill to swallow, as it should be. Hope you can get back out there soon.
David
Sorry to hear Curt. I know how hard they can be to recover after the shot...A lot tuffer than we give em credit for!
Get back out there, theyre waiting for ya!
Killie, the night is just beginning. :archer:
I'd love to see the pics and video too.
Curt buddy I hate that for ya,but it happens to the best sometimes.Good luck when ya get back out there...
What? He's human! Curt, I know how you feel. It has happened to all of us. Doesn't make it any easier. You did everything right - sometimes things just happen! You're still my hero!
Sorry to hear that bro. I know how sick you must feel. I have faith you'll get it done soon.
Aye, Curt, been there. Matter of fact, there's a deerghost I talk to every time I go out in the woods. Best hunt I ever did, and that dead deer will live forever in my soul.
How ugly can a turkey get??? :eek:
Killdeer
You guys/gal are the best,thanx so much for your support :notworthy:
After a lot of thinking, I'd like to share the story of the hunt,pix and video....like I said,not the ending I'd hoped for,but a very interesting hunt.
I'll add as I can,so bare with me...time at the computer is very lean right now.....
Take your time, I'm sure it will be worth the wait.
I knew I had to start off early Sunday morning,I had a longer than usual walk to my hunting area. Heavy rains had the grasses and branches dripping. I had watched this area the evening before and watched a bird(Callaway) walk in to this piece of woods. I didn't know where he roosted exactly.But knew he'd be in this field in the morning, he'd been there for the last two weeks. I set up in a flat corner in the morning darkness. It had to be dark,dark because there was a chance he'd be right on the edge.I couldn't risk blowing it before I got started. I set up my new DB Darkhorse, my delta hen, and "Floyd"(Primos B- mobile).......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4034.jpg)
I waited and waited for the first gobble,but I guess the overnight rain had them a little behind schedule. I wasn't worried though,I knew he was in there somewhere. About a half hour after I thought I'd hear the first gobble,it came, and it was right behind me about 50yds away! A good guess on my part I suppose. I let him gobble a couple more times then let him know I was there with a few soft clucks and yelps...he bit! I could also hear a distant bird,but couldn't tell form where,as it seemed very far away. I yelped one more time to set the hook...he gobbled!
He gobbled a few more times on his own and then I heard wing beats very close inside the woods. I grabed my bow out of it's holder.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4002.jpg)
I kept an eye peeled to my right and sure enough...after the wingbeats it couldn't have been a minute and here he came. I instantly realized that this was one beat up bird, his wing primaries where all busted up and he was missing a bunch of body feathers. Within seconds he was right next to Floyd,quartering toward me at 8 yds. I like quartering to or away on turkeys. Gives the BH a lot of body to work with. I pick my spot and release......
The arrow zips thru like a hot knife thru butter(not normal for me),with a sound like shooting a watermelon. He runs to the left for about 15yds and back pedals a couple steps.I though he was going down right there. The he turns around and starts coming back the the decoys.I nocked another arrow to shoot him again since he didn't go down. After 3-4 steps he realizes something is wrong and starts to trot away as I try to line him up for a shot. But he was quickly too far away and running for the woods. This is when I realized I was looking at something I've never seen before...this gobbler had no tail!My arrow is anchored in the grass and he peels line away. I fully expected him to falter at any step till he was out of site. Then I think back to when he came out of the woods and strutted up to Floyd. He dropped his wings,stood up his ratty back feathers, but I never saw a fan...I couldn't believe it.
Since the arrow had blown thru him and he din't go down in site I figuered I must have hit a tad back, But I just knew it was a matter of giving him time, no doubt in my mind. "Give him an hour, and he'll be dead at the end of the string"...Then I looked out to see this heading for me.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/th_turkeyhunt5-4010.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/?action=view¤t=turkeyhunt5-4010.flv)
Callaway and his girlfriend. She came right to my hen and settled in right next to her. But he was very leary of getting too close to Floyd.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/th_turkeyhunt5-4023.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/?action=view¤t=turkeyhunt5-4023.flv)
Very cool stuff here....I was enjoying the show "knowing" I had my bird already......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/th_turkeyhunt5-4024.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/?action=view¤t=turkeyhunt5-4024.flv)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/th_turkeyhunt5-4026.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/?action=view¤t=turkeyhunt5-4026.flv)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/th_turkeyhunt5-4030.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/?action=view¤t=turkeyhunt5-4030.flv)
More later.......
I'm sorry to hear you didn't find him Curt, bbut after meeting you I'm sure it's not for lack of trying. Keep after them! :thumbsup:
Thanx Brent
"Callaway" proving he doesn't need a hen to be happy.......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/th_turkeyhunt5-4061.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/?action=view¤t=turkeyhunt5-4061.flv)
After watching him for about 40 minutes I started to pack up.....it was a goos hour when I had everything packed up and it was time to follow a bit to see what I had in front of me. I followed the string to the edge of the woods and this is what I saw.......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4016.jpg)
I could follow it right up the hill without even moving from where I was.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4057.jpg)
Again, I "knew" I had my bird,and after seeing all this blood, I still decided to give it more time and carry my blind and vest back to my truck to lighten my load and kill time. Thought it would be hard carrying my vest,blind and gobbler all at once as far as I was from my truck. So I did just that and returned as you can see 2 1/2 hours after I'd shot(6:00).......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4014.jpg)
Maybe a coyote stole it?
CURT WHAT HAPPENED??????
The edge of my seat is starting to get uncomfortable!
still bummed for ya curt, sure sounds like you did everything rite, maybe somethin did take em, i know first hand they are tough critters but with that much blood bein left behind how far could he go?
Sometimes you do everything right and it still just doesn't work out. I feel for ya. Thanks for taking us along. Great video.
Bill
I also say he was somebody else's breakfast. Coyotes? That is quite a bit of blood.
Poor bird, I can imagine the fan envy when he saw your decoy. :thumbsup:
that field looks pretty well cut... how close was the nearest road? Sometimes cars and people are predators too...that would be my guess... anyways, keep your head up Curt, I would bet my qwyk styk you did everything right!!! =)
dam thats unfortunate, head up Curt.
I'll finish this one up tonight
When you said "tonight" which tonight did you mean? :)
I think guys who start this type thread watch too much TV. TOO MANY STINKIN' COMMERCIALS!!!! :banghead: :banghead:
Sorry guys...
.....So I get back to the spot I left, where the string entered the woodline. It was gone! I couldn't believe he'd moved while I was gone! I thought for sure I would walk up to him and he would be stone dead. But I have a pretty good bloodtrail to follow so I do. But it ends after forty 40yds where it was obvious he'd sat for while. Beyong that not a pinhead of blood on the ground! So now I have to find the string. I go about 30 yds further and there it is and it was banjo string tight. So I cut it figuring if by chance he is still alive he could still drag the string. But before I could even start following it again,it's moving! Dang!!!!! It only moved about 10 yds.,but that meant he was still alive....uuhhhgggg!
So I sit down and wait another hour. And it was a long hour too! So I start following again and I don't go 20yds and it starts going away from me again! Now I'm thinking..."this bird can see me",but I can't see him down the hill where the string tells me he headed.Everytime I move he moves. It stops....
It's 10:10 now, and I decide to leave for a few hrs and come back to a bird that will for sure be dead by then......
I'm back at 1:30pm now....the string is gone again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So now I have to find it again and start off in the direction the string was haeded when I left. I criss cross figuring I'd have to run into the 100yds of string he's dragin'....But I go 300yds or so and find nothing. I stop and really think about what's going on here.....they bird could see me when I was there before...then it hits me.....even though the string that I could see was headed down the hill along the creek,he must have doubled back or crossed the creek...I was looking the wrong way!
So I head back the opposite way along the creek and bingo! I see the string across the creek,and bino's confirm the fact. Now I'm thinking I got him now.I get to the tail end of the string and follow as stealthy as possible.Searching/following the string with my bino's as far as I could with out moving.Then I would move ahead some more. I did so and the string was headed directly to the creek again and right to where he had been roosted in the morning.
He'd been using this tree pretty steady.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4059.jpg)
Then with bino's I see up ahead what I dreaded would happen all along.....a frayed tangle of broken string....my heart sinks again......
No it becomes a long blind search that turns up not a single clue......
This one hurt guys......
For some reason on the way out I couldn't help but take a pic of this beautiful little flower...maybe a sign of better things to come.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-4060.jpg)